1/2/2024 0 Comments Auditory sensitivity in babies![]() ![]() When an infant is less than 5–6 months developmental age, behavioral observation audiometry (BOA) is used. It should be highlighted that behavioral audiologic testing of the young child can yield reliable results if proper procedures are followed during the test session. What follows are brief descriptions of the behavioral and electrophysiologic tests that are appropriate for the young pediatric patient. These two types of tests, however, provide information on different aspects of the child's auditory function, and cannot serve as perfect substitutes for each other. At very young ages, the electrophysiologic test findings often predominate in the decision making about the management of the child with a hearing loss, but for older children it is generally the behavioral audiologic findings on which management decisions are made. Behavioral tests usually are thought of as subjective and the electrophysiologic tests are thought of as objective because of their reliance or non-reliance on patient participation, respectively. ![]() Rather, the amplification process should be initiated with refinements and adjustments of the hearing aid fitting occurring as more and more precise information is obtained.īoth behavioral and electrophysiologic tests are used in the audiologic assessment of the very young pediatric patient. Valuable time should not be wasted waiting for complete information. However, complete behavioral audiologic information is not necessary before the hearing aid fitting and early intervention processes can begin. In addition, there is sometimes the need for electrophysiologic tests to provide a baseline estimate of auditory function until complete behavioral audiologic findings can be obtained. Infants and young children do not possess the breadth of responses that adults do, requiring modifications of behavioral audiologic techniques. Audiologic assessment in children is often a challenging, time-intensive and ongoing process, particularly when assessing the very young infant. Unlike most adults whose hearing loss can be defined in one clinic visit, children often require repeated visits before the configuration and degree of hearing loss is defined. The assessment process is therefore tantamount to the habilitation and hearing aid fitting process. Providing appropriate amplification is dependent on having a reliable definition of the child's hearing loss. Early diagnosis of hearing loss necessitates early initiation of habilitation including the fitting of amplification. Due to the increasing number of newborn hearing screening programs, infants are being referred for audiologic assessment and diagnosed with hearing loss at very young ages. ![]()
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