Audiology

Our Audiology department specializes in comprehensive evaluation of hearing and management of hearing loss in infants, children and adolescents and is part of the Rehabilitation Services department.

Hearing tests and treatments:

Our specially trained team of audiologists evaluates children of all ages, including infants and newborns. Testing infants requires a child to be asleep. Testing a child older than 6 months of age is completed using a listening game.

Evaluation services include:

Newborn hearing screening does not require your child to respond and is best when completed with your child asleep. A soft click sound is presented through headphones in each ear. A response to the click sound is measured from your child’s brain using sticky pads(electrodes). The screen provides a Pass or Refer result. A Pass indicates normal/near normal hearing. A Refer simply indicates more testing is necessary.
Behavioral hearing test (audiogram) is recommended for children 6 months of age and older. Your child will look at a toy that lights up when he or she hears a certain sound or play a game that involves listening to very soft sounds.
Immittance testing (tympanometry and acoustic reflexes) Tympanometry is a test of the middle ear system. It measures movement of the ear drum to determine if fluid is present. Middle ear fluid can lead to ear infections and is commonly a problem for many children. Acoustic Reflexes can examine the hearing nerve to ensure sounds are properly transported from the organ of hearing to the brain.
Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) can screen a child’s hearing from low pitches to high pitches by measuring a response from the inner ear/organ of hearing. A Pass response indicates normal/near normal hearing at that specific pitch. Timely intervention is very important for a child’s normal development. Research has proven that a child should be screened by 1 month of age, identified with hearing loss by 3 months of age, and fit with hearing aids by 6 months of age to develop at the same pace of their normal hearing peers.
Auditory brainstem response (ABR) does not require your child to respond and is best completed with your child asleep. The collection technology is similar to the hearing screen in that it measures an electrical response from your child’s brain to different sounds presented through headphones. The ABR allows the audiologist to determine the softest volume level a response in the brain can be measured from each ear.
Hearing aid evaluation will determine if a child with hearing loss will benefit from the use of hearing aids (or other amplification) in order to develop speech and language.
Cochlear implant candidacy is assessed in children with severe or profound hearing losses. Cochlear implants can help a child hear when a traditional hearing aid is insufficient or ineffective.

Rehabilitation services

If we diagnose hearing loss, there are a number of treatment options. These options may include but are not limited to hearing aids, FM systems and cochlear implants, depending on the nature and severity of hearing loss. All treatment is tailored to fit the child and the family’s unique needs.

Preparing for your visit

To ensure that your child’s visit is as productive as possible, you can follow these steps:

If your child is younger than 6 months of developmental age please bring them ready to take a nap.
If your child is older than 6 months of developmental age, bring them happy and ready to play.
Please bring the following information with you to the appointment:

A list of your child’s medications
All relevant birth/medical history information
Names of other professionals following your child for services
Any previous hearing test results
Information from a previous screen/school evaluation

Referral Process

All outpatient audiology services require a referral from either a primary care physician or an otolaryngologist (ENT physician). For more information, call 901-287-5241.