lundi 17 février 2014

Information On Different 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.

To start with, there are two types of tests used on newborns babes. These tests are used alone or be combined. Auditory brainstem response is the first one and is abbreviated as ABR. In these tests, wires are joined to the baby scalp using an adhesive. This test is preferably done when the baby is at sleep to avoid distraction. This test is mean t for measuring the brain activity of the baby in response to a clicking sound delivered into the ears of the baby through small earphones. The good thing with this test is that it is painless, and it takes just few minutes to complete it.

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.

Similar test is carried out on an infants but they are examined using an additional test, which is known as behavioral audiometry. The behavior of child is put under keen observation, to see how they react after certain sounds that are made. The ear professional may decide to carry out more test if need arises.

A toddler can be evaluated using two tests. The first one is visual reinforcement audiometry abbreviated as VRA. During this test the child is trained to look towards a source of sound. When the child responds correctly, he is rewarded by use of visual objects like a flashlight or a moving toy. This test is done on children between 6 months to 2 years of age.

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.

For ages three and four the examination conducted on them is known as tympaomentry test also known as impendance audiometry. The test examines how the middle part of the year is functioning. It does not show hearing loss on the child but it detects changes in pressure. The child is expected to stay still without talking, moving, or crying.

Another test used for hearing evaluation in older children is Pure Tone audiometry. In this test, an electric machine is used to produce sounds at varied pitches as well as volumes onto the ears of the child. The child is asked to respond with his hand when he hears the tone through the earphone.




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