Pediatric Hearing Tests
Approximately 1.4 infants per 1,000 births are born with hearing loss. Early detection through pediatric hearing tests is essential, as hearing plays a critical role in a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development.
Early Hearing Detection and Monitoring
Newborns should have a hearing screening before leaving the hospital. If your baby did not receive this screening, schedule a hearing test by one month of age. Early detection is important—hearing loss can affect speech, language, and learning.
Even if your child passed the newborn screening, continue to monitor their hearing as they grow. Signs of possible hearing loss include:
– Delayed speech or language development
– Limited or unclear speech
– Frequent inattentiveness or difficulty learning
– Not responding to speech or responding inappropriately
– Turning up the TV volume too high
If you notice any of these signs, contact an audiologist for a full hearing evaluation.
Visual Reinforcement Audiometry
Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) is a behavioral hearing test designed for children ages 7 months to about 2–3 years, or for individuals unable to complete traditional hearing tests due to developmental limitations. It helps train a child to respond to sounds.
During the test, your child will sit on your lap inside a sound-treated booth. Speech and tonal sounds are played through speakers in the room. When your child turns or looks toward the sound, the response is reinforced by a lighted, animated toy above the speaker.
Conditioned Play Audiometry
Conditioned Play Audiometry (CPA) is a behavioral hearing test designed for children who are not developmentally able to perform traditional hearing tests, typically ages 3 to 5 years. It can be conducted using foam inserts, headphones, or speakers in the sound field.
During the test, the child sits in a sound booth and is taught a repetitive play task, such as dropping a block into a bucket, each time they hear a sound.
Other types of Pediatric Hearing Tests
– Tympanometry
– Acoustic Reflexes
– Otoacoustic Emissions
