Final answer:
Option (a). Newborn hearing screening has enabled researchers to study children with hearing loss. Cochlear implants can restore hearing due to a nonfunctional cochlea, but not for those with an abnormal auditory nerve. Hearing aids are effective for conductive hearing loss but not as much for nerve damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relatively recent change in services that has allowed researchers to conduct prospective research on children with hearing loss is a. newborn hearing screening. Newborn hearing screening is essential for early detection of hearing loss, which in turn is critical for timely intervention and treatment to facilitate better speech and language development.
As for cochlear implants, they can restore hearing in patients with a nonfunctional cochlea. However, they would not be beneficial for types of hearing loss such as those caused by problems with the auditory nerve. These implants consist of a microphone, a speech processor, and a transmitter that translate sound into electrical impulses, which are then delivered to the auditory nerve.
Hearing loss that would not be restored by a cochlear implant includes hearing loss resulting from an abnormal auditory nerve. Additionally, hearing aids may be effective for other types of hearing loss, such as conductive hearing loss, where sound vibrations are sent to the cochlea through the skull, but are less effective for nerve-related damage.