Types Of Hearing Evaluation Tests For Infants And Children

By Serena Price


When carrying out a hearing evaluation on your child, the doctor actually performs a full physical examination and dig deep into the medical history of the child. This is not the only way of examining the hearing ability of your child, there are other tests. While some of these tests are applicable to all ages, others are meant for a specific age of a child as well as his ability to understand. Here is a breakdown of various tests done on children with different ages.

On a newly born, two types of examinations can be carried out. These examinations can be done either alone or both at the same time. ABR stands for Auditory brainstem response is the initial test. Wires that are glued to the baby scalp are used on this examination. When the baby is awake they may destruct the physician and prevent the test from being carried out well so the test is conducted when the baby is asleep. On the babies ear a set of earphones are placed and they make a clicking sound. The test seeks to find out the level of brain function ability in relation to the applied clicking sounds. The great news is that the child is not subjected to any form of pain.

The other examination is known as evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAE). This test unlike the other one utilizes plugs that are small and flexible into your babies ear. The function of the plugs is to send sounds in the ear. The otoacoustic feedback of the sound made in the ear is recorded by a microphone within the inserted plug. The similarity with the other test is that it is done when the baby is asleep and is also pain free.

Infants are also evaluated using the same tests as the newborn and another test is also used which is referred to as behavioral audiometry. This test is based on observing the behavior of the child in response to certain sounds produced. The physician may also choose to do additional tests if need be.

Babies between the age of six months and two years usually use two tests. The first one is known as visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA). The child is taught to focus on a source of a produced sound. The child enjoys the test since it is formulated like a game that has a reward system in form of visible objects such as toys in motion or flashlights. Once the child makes the correct response, they are rewarded.

The other test used on toddlers is play audiometry. In this test, an electrical machine is used to relay sound at varied pitches and volumes into the ears of the child. This test can be modified to a game depending on the age group of the child. The child is requested to do something with a moving toy every time he hears the sound. In most cases, this test will rely on the cooperation of the child, which is not guaranteed.

A child who is older than 3 or 4 years can be evaluated using Tympanometry test which is also referred to as impendance audiometry. This test is used to determine how the middle ear of the child is working. It does not tell if the child has hear loss or not but it helps to detect any pressure change in the middle ear. The child is required to sit still and not cry, move or talk.

An addition test subjected to hearing evaluation in much older children is known as tone audiometry. Electrical equipment is utilized; it produces sounds that have different volume and pitches inside the Childs ear. The child is asked by use their hand in making a response once they hear a sound through an earphone in the equipment.




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