Asymmetric and unilateral hearing loss in children.

Asymmetric and unilateral hearing losses in children have traditionally been underappreciated, but health care practitioners are now beginning to understand their effect on development and the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. The common wisdom among medical and educational professionals has been that at least one normal-hearing or near-normal-hearing ear was sufficient for typical speech and language development in children. The objective of this review is to illustrate, to the non-otolaryngologist, the consequences of asymmetric and unilateral hearing loss in children on developmental and educational outcomes. Etiology, detection, and management are also discussed. Lastly, implications for further research are considered.