Many people wonder how we perform hearing tests
on young children. Audiologists have developed different ways
of obtaining information from children too young to respond to
directions such as "Raise your hand when you hear the beep."
For very young children, tones or noises are associated
with a flashing toy. Once the child understands that the sound
means the toy will flash, we begin to make the sound quieter and
quieter. Children will continue to look towards the toy every
time they hear the tone or noise, even when it is extremely soft.
This allows us to discover the quietest level at which the child
hears.
With slightly older children, we are able to play
a more interactive game where they may throw a block into a bucket
or place a peg into a hole every time they hear the beep. Most
children find this to be a fun game and we are often able to obtain
good information about their hearing abilities.
If we are unable to obtain good information from
these behavioral tests, we may use electrophysiological testing.
These tests include tympanometry, which assesses middle ear status;
otoacoustic emissions testing, which assesses inner ear status;
and auditory brainstem response testing, which assesses the pathway
of the auditory nerve.
If you are a Munson Healthcare patient and have a compliment,
concern, or complaint, please contact one of our Patient
Liaisons.
