Diagnostics & Testing
Hearing tests are recommended every two years starting at age 45, or sooner if you are at risk of hearing loss. Your audiologist will use specialized hearing tests to evaluate and diagnose you or your child’s condition.
Hearing Evaluation
In a soundproof booth, your audiologist will visually inspect your ears with an otoscope. With earphones on, you will be asked to repeat words and alert your audiologist when you hear a beep in each ear.
Further testing may be done outside the booth with a small probe placed in your ear. This will cause a feeling of pressure change in the ear.
Different testing methods may be used for children and adults with disabilities.
Specialized Tests for Children and Disabled Adults
Auditory Evoked Brainstem Response Testing (ABR)
This test measures the electrical activity in the brain in response to sound. Thin wires are attached to the forehead and earlobe while a small earphone delivers sound safely to the ears.
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)
This will check if the hair cells in the cochlea are working properly. A small, comfortable earphone is used to deliver sound to the ears.
Otoscopic Evaluation
Careful visual inspection of the outer ear and ear canal is performed before any testing begins.
Tympanometry
This evaluation of the middle ear and the movement of the eardrum helps the audiologist find the cause of hearing loss. This can also help determine if the hearing loss is temporary or permanent. This test is done by placing a soft eartip in the ear canal. The audiologist will be able to see if there is any fluid in the middle ear, a perforation in the eardrum or if ventilation tubes are open.
Acoustic Reflex Testing
By using a soft eartip in the ear canal, this test measures how the small muscle in the ear contracts to protect the ear from loud sounds.
Behavior Audiometric Testing
These tests allow the audiologist to observe the response to sounds. The following tests can be done starting at three months of age.
- Behavioral Observation Audiometry (BOA) testing – The audiologist observes the patient’s response to different pitches and levels of loudness.
- Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) – This test helps determine hearing sensitivity. An animated or light-up toy is used in tandem with a sound, producing a head-turn response. Once conditioned to look in the direction of the sound, the signal is reduced. VRA can be introduced at four months of age.
- Conditioned Play Audiometry (CPA) – This test involves doing tasks such as dropping a toy in a bucket in response to sound. Children as young as 24 months of age can receive this test.
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program
The State of Michigan collects newborn hearing screening data for EHDI Program. Their goal is to help identify infants with hearing loss and follows these infants to enrollment in early intervention services.
The program helps increase awareness and provides early screening, diagnosis and intervention, monitoring and personnel development for newborns, children and their families.
The 1 – 3 – 6 Goals for EHDI are:
1 – All infants are screened for hearing loss by one month of age (and preferably before hospital discharge).
3 – All infants who do not pass the hearing screening will have a diagnostic hearing evaluation by three months of age.
6 – All infants with hearing loss are enrolled in early intervention services by six months of age.
Even if babies pass a newborn hearing test, their hearing can change. Consult your child’s physician or an audiologist if you have concerns about your child’s speech, language or hearing.
