Types Of Hearing Test Etobicoke

By Ines Flores


Babies that have just been born will need to be screened to determine if their ears are okay or if there are any potential problems. This is done through two tests. One is the automated oto-acoustic emissions test, referred to in short as AOAE. It takes a short time and can even be performed while the baby is asleep. A very small earpiece is placed in the ears and then clicking sounds played through it. It is a hearing test Etobicoke residents may use on newborns.

If the ears are functioning properly in the AOAE test, there will be production of reflected sound in the cochlea. The sounds are transmitted to a computer for analysis. In the event that there is no clarity of the results, either the test is done again or a different one is used. The test may fail if the baby is not settled in their sleep or the background has some noise. Another reason for its failure could be temporary ear blockage.

The AABR test, known as automated auditory brain-stem response test involves placement of three minute sensors at the neck and head of the baby. Thereafter, headphones get placed over the ears then quiet sounds get played. Just like in most of the methods, the sounds are analyzed by the computer. The first two tests would not be ideal for older babies. There are special tests for them.

In the course of visual reinforcement audiometry, VRA, the baby sits on the laps of the physician or the parent as sounds get played via speakers. Should the baby turn in the direction of sound a toy is lit up to act as reward. Loudness is varied to know the minimum sound that the baby can hear at every pitch. The test can also be done out using small earphones in the ears of the child so that every ear gets tested separately. It is used for kids between 6 months and 3 years old.

In pure tone audiometry, the instrument used is an audiometer which generates sounds with frequencies that vary. These sounds are normally played through a headphone. As this happens, the child will be asked to show a response when they hear a sound. For example, they may be asked to press a button. The sound level is gradually reduced to know the least sound the child can hear.

This technique is only useful for kids over three years old. It is used for screening hearing ability of children before they begin school. In the technique known as play audiometry, the child will be asked to do a simple activity when they hear sounds played via headphones. For instance, they could be told to move some toy whenever they hear sounds.

The speech perception test is used to assess the ability of the child to recognize the words they can hear without necessarily seeing a person make lip movements. The words could be played via headphones or the person says them directly without showing him or her lip movements. The child is then expected to identify a word by choosing a matching picture or word from a list.

The testing method will depend on age of the child. There are different tests for adults. Hearing tests are best done when children are young.




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