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Tests and Procedures

Behavioral Hearing Tests

  • Visual Reinforcement Audiometry: The child is taught to turn his or her head each time he or she hears a sound. The child is rewarded by a lighted, animated toy, such as a bear playing a drum. The child sits on the parent's lap in a sound booth. Earphones may be worn depending on the child's cooperation (ages 8 months to 2 years).
  • Conditioned Play Audiometry: The child is taught to throw a block in a bucket or put a peg in a board each time he or she hears a sound. The child wears earphones and sits independently or on parent's lap in sound booth (ages 2-5 years).
  • Conventional Audiometry: The child presses a button or raises a hand each time he or she hears a sound. The child may also be asked to repeat a list of words (ages 5 years and up).

Tympanometry: Assesses the middle ear system, which includes the eardrum and the bones attached to the eardrum.

Ototacoustic Emission Testing: Assesses the functioning of the cochlea or inner ear.

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): By averaging the brain wave responses to sound, this special test allows Audiology staff to assess difficult-to-test children or children who are too young to be tested behaviorally.

  • Sleep-deprived ABR: Children less than three months of age are tested in a sleep-deprived state. This means that the child is not allowed to sleep prior to testing so that he or she will sleep during the test period.
  • Sedated ABR: Children over three months of age are sedated in conjunction with nursing personnel for ABR testing.

Central Auditory Processing Testing (CAP): CAP testing is often recommended for school-aged children who have difficulty learning and listening. An auditory processing disorder is the inability or impaired ability to recognize or comprehend information by hearing even though a person has normal intelligence and normal hearing sensitivity. A CAP evaluation assesses auditory perceptual skills as they relate to communication and academic performance.

Hearing Aid Evaluation and Fitting: For patients requiring amplification, Audiology offers hearing aid services. Children identified with hearing impairments that warrant amplification can be scheduled for a series of appointments for the evaluation and fitting of hearing aids and/or other assistive listening devices.