Types Of Hearing Evaluation Tests For Infants And Children

By Serena Price


A physician usually carries out a total physical tests, asks about the medical history of your child before he can continue with a hearing evaluation examination. The child ability to hear has several tests that can be conducted. The several tests vary depending on the childs age and also on their level of comprehension. The following pointers illustrate further on the tests carried out on your child on the basis the child age.

A newborn can be evaluated used two types of tests. These tests can be used alone or together. The first test is auditory brainstem response abbreviated as ABR. This test uses wires which are joined to the scalp of the baby using an adhesive. The test is carried out when the baby is asleep to avoid distraction. Clicking sounds are applied through small earphones in the ear of the baby. The test usually measures the brain activity in response to the sounds produced. This test takes only a few minutes and it is painless.

The second test used on a newborn is called evoked otoacoustic emissions abbreviated as EOAE. This test uses a small, flexible plug which is fitted in the ear of the baby. Through this plug, sound is sent. The plug has a microphone, which records the otoacoustic responses of the ear in reaction to the sounds produced. This test is also done when the baby is asleep and it is also painless.

One of the methods used on infants is referred to as behavioral audiometry. This method involving observation of the child behaviors in response to the sound they are subjected to. The doctor may also use a different additional test 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 second test used on toddler is known as play audiometry. This involves the use of electrical machine to relay sound at different pitches and volumes into the child ears. This test can be done in form of a game based on the child age group. In this test, a child is asked to operate a moving toy in reaction to the sound they hears. The bad thing with this test is the cooperation of the child which in most cases is not guaranteed.

Children who fall in the age bracket of 3 to 4 years are evaluated using Tympanometry test. This is also known as impendance audiometry. It is used to determine the functionality of the middle ear of the child. It is used for detecting any pressure change and not for examining the ability of a child to hear. When carrying out this test, a child should remain still without crying, moving or talking.

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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