New Born Hearing Tests

Does your child experience…


New Born Hearing Tests

These are special electrophysiological tests which do not require a behavioural response from the baby.

Oto-Acoustic Emissions (OAE)

In this test, a miniature earphone and microphone are placed lightly in the ear, sounds are played and the baby’s response is measured. If the baby hears normally, an echo is reflected back into the ear canal and is measured by the microphone. If a baby has fluid in the ear from after birth, an ear infection or a possible hearing loss, no echo can be measured and further testing may be required.

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR).

During this test, sounds are played into the baby’s ears and electrodes are gently placed on the baby’s head to detect responses. The test measures how the hearing nerve responds to sounds and can identify babies with hearing loss.

Paediatric Testing

Immittance Audiometry
Tympanometry
Tympanograms show the functioning of the middle ear and can indicate eardrum perforations, abnormal pressure, fluid build-up and increased/decreased mobility of the eardrum and middle ear structures.

Acoustic Reflexes
Acoustic reflex measurements are carried out to measure the involuntary muscle contraction that occurs in the middle ear in response to loud sounds.

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry
Using visual rewards two audiologists work together to assess hearing in infants and toddlers.

Conditioned Play Audiometry
Allows the audiologists to test the hearing levels of very young toddlers and pre-schoolers.


We understand little ones need time to develop.
But if you having any doubts about their hearing problems….

We understand little ones need time to develop.

But if you having any doubts about their hearing problems….

Children's Hearing

types of tests

Why test children's hearing?

Three in every 100 children under the age of 18 experience hearing loss, to some degree. Both hearing and speech are essential tools for children to be able to learn, play and develop social skills. They learn to communicate by imitating sounds they hear. A child with an undetected and untreated hearing loss can miss a lot of the speech and language around them which may result in delayed speech or language development, social problems and academic difficulties. This is why we are passionate about paediatric audiology.

age appropriate testing

How we test kids’ hearing

Tami Mehl Audiology offers a wide range of age-appropriate testing and evaluation services for newborns, infants, toddlers and school-age children.
Click below for more information on the specific tests offered for children.

CAUSES

Types of hearing loss in children

There are two primary categories of hearing loss in children:
• congenital (present at birth)
• acquired (occurring after birth)

Possible causes of congenital hearing loss:
• Infections during pregnancy (German measles, toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus)
• Ototoxic medication used during pregnancy (medications that can damage hearing as a side effect)
• Birth complications
• Disorders of the brain or nervous system
• Genetic syndromes such as Ushers, Down’s and Waardenburg’s syndromes
• Family history of hearing loss

Possible causes of acquired hearing loss:
• Untreated middle-ear infections
• Other infections such as meningitis, mumps, measles or whooping cough
• Perforation of the eardrum
• Excessive noise such as fireworks or loud music
• Serious injury to the head
• Ototoxic medication

Frequently, hearing loss in young children is conductive (usually temporary) and maybe caused by earwax or middle ear infections. Many children with temporary hearing loss can have their hearing restored through medical treatment (such as antibiotics or cortisone) or minor surgery.

Some children have sensorineural hearing loss, which is permanent. Most of these children have some usable hearing, and children as young as four weeks of age can be fitted with hearing aids. If the child does not respond to hearing aids, a cochlear implant can be considered.

CAPD QUIZ
CAPD QUIZZ
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