1. Pediatric Testing
SPA 4302
Summer 2004

2. Auditory Responses In adults, response type was unimportant
With children, it can have significant effects
Possible responses cover a WIDE range of behaviors
Children do not typically respond to sounds at threshold, but only to sounds more clearly audible: Minimum Response Levels
(see Table 8.1)

3. Identifying Hearing Loss in Infants under 3 Months of Age
Infant hearing screening was historically done only with those “at risk” for hearing loss.
In the last 15 years, UNIVERSAL newborn hearing screening has come into wide use – on a state-by-state basis.
Objective tests used to screen:
OAEs
ABR

4. Testing Young Children
Reflexive reactions (e.g.,Moro within 2 mos)
Behavioral Observation Audiometry: thru 6-8 mos
Conditioned Orienting Reflex/Visual Reinforcement Audiometry from 4 months
Play audiometry (18 months and up)
Operant conditioning audiometry
Electrophysiologic Tests

5. Auditory Processing Disorders
“How the ear talks to the brain and how the brain understands what the ear is telling it.” -- Musiek

6. The Child with APD has normal hearing has normal intelligence
has trouble using auditory input
cannot learn well through audition alone
will have difficulty in noisy, open classrooms
may have difficulty attending to sound for any length of time

7. Management Classroom Modifications Remediation Activities
Compensatory Strategies
Each child is unique
-Blanket recommendations don’t work

8. Identifying Hearing Loss in the Schools
14.9% of US children aged six to nineteen have a measurable hearing loss in one or both ears (Niskar et. al., 1998)
Screening programs mandated by states at specific grade levels.

9. Nonorganic Hearing Loss in Children
Feigning a hearing problem, most commonly for attention.
More common in 10 to 14 year olds,
But may appear in younger children as well.