Children's Hearing (Paediatrics)
Sometimes it can be daunting to go into a clinical environment, especially for a child.
At M H Hearingcare, we are fortunate to have a comfortable and fun environment for children to have a thorough (diagnostic) hearing assessment.
Please see below what tests are performed, based on need and ability:
Play Audiometry
Play Audiometry is suitable for children at a developmental age of 2 - 5 years old.
This is a behavioural test that requires children to actively respond to sound through conditioned play. For example, when a sound is presented, a child promptly responds by putting a toy in a box.
Between 3-5 years old, children are usually able to carry out this assessment wearing supra-aural headphones or insert headphones, to obtain ear specific thresholds.
If this isn't possible, generalised thresholds can be obtained performing the same test but with a hand-held audiometer, instead of headphones.
Pure Tone Audiometry
Pure Tone Audiometry is suitable for children from 5 years old and up.
This behavioural test involves wearing headphones and responding to a given sound using a button, called a response button.
Tympanometry
This test measures the movement of the ear drum in response to pressure changes through the ear canal. This test will assess middle ear and ear drum function.
Examples of conditions diagnosed using this test are:
- Otitis Media with Effusion (Glue Ear)
- Perforation of Tympanic Membrane (Ear Drum)
- Eustachian Tube dysfunction
- Patent Grommets in Tympanic Membrane
- Scarred Tympanic Membrane
- Healed Perforation of Tympanic Membrane
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)
This test is commonly performed on new born infants, as an early detection of hearing loss. It is however carried out on older babies and children, as a way to verify individual ear responses.
OAE is a non - behavioural test, requiring the child to sit quietly, whilst an ear tip in placed into the ear. During this test, sound stimuli in the form of clicks are transmitted to the Cochlea (inner ear) and an echo reading will be picked up, to indicate how well the hair cells in the Cochlea are functioning.
Children's Hearing Assessment
First Appointment - £150
Review Appointment - £120
