Audiology Procedures & Test Methods (Pediatric)
Otoscopy - A special magnifying light that is used to look in your child’s ear for possible wax in the ear canal. If there is a lot of wax is in your child’s ear canals we may have ENT remove it before the hearing test.
Tympanometry - A soft probe is placed in your child’s ear canal to measure ear drum movement or look for possible middle ear fluid. One ear is tested at time. Tympanometry does not test hearing.
Otoacoustic Emissions - A soft probe is placed in your child’s ear canal and soft sounds are played to evaluate inner ear functioning. This test does not hurt but it is sensitive to room noise and patient noise/movement. We have quiet toys available to help keep your child still and quiet for testing. We test one ear at a time. This is not complete test of hearing; additional testing is needed to determine hearing sensitivity.
Hearing Test Methods 
All testing can be performed listening through the speakers (soundfield) or using earphones to test each ear separately or bone conduction headband to determine type of hearing loss.
Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA)
Your child is taught to look for a sound. When they look they will see a drumming toy or a video clip as a reward for looking for the sound. Your child will either sit on your lap, in a high chair or in their stroller for testing.
Conditioned Play Audiometry (CPA)
Your child be taught a listening game while they sit at a table. They will either place a block in a bucket or stack blocks in response to hearing a sound.
Conventional Audiometry
Your child will be taught to raise their hand or push a button when they hear a sound.
Speech Reception Testing
Your child will point to familiar pictures (ice cream, toothbrush, airplane) or repeat familiar words down to a very soft level.
Word Recognition Testing
Your child will point to familiar pictures (ice cream, toothbrush, airplane) or repeat familiar words down to a very soft level.
