Hearing tests for children are a typical part of routine check-ups conducted by general practitioners. A hearing test is usually administered at infancy and repeated on a yearly or bi-yearly basis as the child grows and develops. Proper and routine hearing tests are crucial to the wellbeing of every child. Undetected hearing loss in a child can lead to improper development including permanent speech impediments and delayed learning. With new technology, hearing clinics can effectively conduct hearing tests in children of all ages, including infants.
If it often difficult to determine whether a child has hearing loss. Some signs that your child needs a hearing test include speech delay, common ear infections, family history of hearing loss and poor school performance. Additionally, hearing tests may be conducted if your child has been diagnosed with a learning disability or syndrome associated with hearing loss (down syndrome, for example) or if he or she has had an infectious disease or has received medical treatment where hearing loss is a side effect. With these scenarios, hearing clinics can provide a better assessment of and solution for hearing impairment.
There are currently several different types of hearing tests for children, all available at most hearing clinics. Objective tests are one form of hearing tests which require no feedback from the patient. These hearing tests can be conducted through a variety of means and are an ideal hearing test for infants.
Behavioural observation audiometry hearing tests are another form of hearing test for younger children. They involve using an instrument such as a rattle or music box to make noise and observing the child?s response. This hearing test is commonly conducted at hearing clinics and is mostly used for babies under seven months of age.
Visual reinforcement audiometry hearing tests involve pairing sounds with visual reinforcement. Speakers are placed on either side of the child and when a noise is produced the child will instinctively turn his or her head toward the source of the sound. When the child turns his or her head a visual stimulus (such as a puppet) is displayed and used as positive reinforcement for the behaviour. This form of hearing test can be used for babies as young as five months; however, because it uses speakers, it is not extremely effective in assessing the hearing for each ear individually. If the child is willing to participate, headphones can be used which allow for a more accurate judgement of the hearing in each ear.
The last type of hearing test commonly used in hearing clinics is play audiometry. This hearing test requires the child to move an object or set an object in a certain place when instructed to do so. For example, an audiologist may tell a child to put a block in a bucket. This instruction continues as the instructing voice gets quieter and quieter. This type of hearing test is commonly used for children aged three to five years.
Source: http://articlebro.com/2012/health-fitness/hearing-tests-for-children-2/
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