Hearing loss is becoming more common because of the prominent use of electronic devices such as ipods, phones, and video game devices. Noise pollution is also increasing in our daily lives. Many parents don’t realize that hearing loss in children is a growing problem as well. In order to check your child for hearing loss, you should have your child’s hearing tested once a year with an audiologist. There are several types of hearing tests available to children. Pediatric hearing tests detect hearing problems in children in an easy and painless way.
All children fom newborns to teens can be tested for hearing loss. Hearing tests for babies include the ABR and OAE. Hearing tests for babies are painless and babies usually sleep through them.
Hearing tests for children include the standard hearing screening or Pure Tone Audiometry test. Other hearing tests for children include speech discrimination testing and immitance testing. The Pure Tone Audiometry test determines the level at which the child hears sounds at different frequencies. The speech discrimination test determines how well the child is able to hear and understand speech. This pediatric hearing test aid in the detection of problems beyond the hearing nerve and also determines how well a hearing aid can help the child. Immitance testing evaluates middle ear function by testing how well the eardrum and middle ear bones move therefore detecting the location of a hearing problem.
