A short time ago, traditional thinking and old theories led us to believe that strong speech and language development could be achieved with one typical-hearing ear. Today’s research tells us otherwise. In this presentation, Robin Bliven (Director of Outreach Services for VSDB) and Valerie James Abbott (parent-advocate and award-winning author) will describe how today’s research contradicts prior understanding of how unilateral hearing loss can impact language and literacy and change neurological pathways within the brain. Participants will learn how to identify common signs and how to talk with families about their observations or concerns.