Detecting Hearing Loss in Children (cont.)
What is the latest hearing testing being used in children?
One of the newest tests being utilized is the auditory steady state response (ASSR) evaluation. This is a test that is used in conjunction with the ABR. It is completed while the child is sleeping, or sedated,
and it makes recordings from the auditory nerve as the response travels up to the brainstem. The generators for this test are commonly accepted to be similar to those of the ABR. One advantage of ASSR is that the stimuli used to test the child's hearing are more frequency-specific, which allows the audiologist to predict hearing levels for a wide range of sounds with increased accuracy. In addition, the ASSR is faster and has the ability to test at levels somewhat louder than the ABR (due to equipment limitations of the ABR), making the distinction between severe and profound losses more clear. It should be noted, however, that results for a mild hearing loss and normal hearing are indistinguishable from each other, so there is potential for a misdiagnosis for children with mild hearing loss.
- Children can be tested for hearing loss at any age.
- There are several risk factors associated with hearing loss, including ear
infections, prematurity, diseases, and syndromes.
- Early identification of hearing loss will permit effective intervention,
allowing for speech, language and cognitive development that are on target with
a child's peers.
- The ABR and the OAE evaluations are effective tests for infants and
children who cannot cooperate for a traditional hearing evaluation.
- Visual reinforcement audiometry and play audiometry are two behavioral
methods used for testing cooperative children, which can obtain results similar
to an adult evaluation.
- A test of the middle-ear system should be included in a diagnostic hearing
evaluation for all children.
- When a hearing loss is detected, the child should be referred to an
otolaryngologist or ENT to identify the cause of the loss. Further
recommendations can be made by the ENT.
Last Editorial Review: 7/18/2008
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