A comprehensive hearing evaluation is crucial for understanding a child’s hearing health. This article delves into the distinctions between hearing screenings and diagnostic evaluations, highlighting why a diagnostic hearing evaluation is important even if a child seems to hear well. We will explore various types of diagnostic hearing tests, different kinds of hearing impairments, and how ear fluid and pressure can affect hearing. By understanding these aspects, parents and caregivers can better appreciate the importance of thorough hearing assessments for their children.
This post collaborates with Dr. Eve Leinonen, an experienced audiologist serving clients ages four and up in Naperville, Illinois. Dr. Eve Leinonen earned her Doctorate in Audiology from Wayne State University in 2007. She has diverse experience in office and outreach settings. She has been the owner and principle audiologist of Affordable Hearing Solutions since 2015. Diagnosed with hearing loss at age 17, Dr. Leinonen can relate on a more personal level to the struggles and frustration that many with hearing loss face daily. She ensures patients select optimal treatment for their hearing loss and lifestyle, aiding their continued thriving in daily life.
Key Takeaways:
- Hearing Screenings vs. Diagnostic Evaluations: Understand the differences and why both are essential.
- Justification for Diagnostic Evaluations: Learn why thorough hearing tests are necessary even if a child seems to hear well.
- Types of Diagnostic Hearing Tests: Discover the various tests used to evaluate hearing health.
- Types of Hearing Impairments: Gain insight into different hearing impairments and their impacts.
- Effects of Ear Fluid and Pressure: Recognize how ear fluid and pressure can influence hearing ability.
How is a hearing screening different than a diagnostic hearing evaluation?
It’s important to understand the difference between a hearing screening, and a diagnostic hearing evaluation. Schools and doctor’s offices typically conduct screenings to assess whether a child may have a hearing loss. This only looks at how the child hears via air conduction (how we hear with sound traveling through the ear canal to the middle ear, inner ear, and then the brain).
Diagnostic hearing evaluations look at all aspects of the hearing mechanism. It looks at how we hear via air conduction, bone conduction (how the auditory nerve itself is responding), word recognition scores (Speech Audiometry), tympanometry and/or otoacoustic emissions (OAE).
My child can hear me whisper, so why does (s)he need a diagnostic hearing evaluation?
One of the essential components to a dynamic speech and language assessment is a diagnostic hearing evaluation. If they haven’t already, I strongly encourage families seeking my private speech and language services to schedule a diagnostic hearing evaluation before I assess articulation, expressive, and receptive language skills. It is critical to rule out a medical factor for a speech and/or language delay that could negatively influence assessments and speech-language therapy.
Specifically, a hearing loss can impact vocabulary development, sentence structure, articulation, and academic performance. Our sounds are produced at many, different frequencies. Hearing difficulties affect a child’s ability to accurately produce certain sounds, especially quieter ones like /s/, /sh/, /f/, /t/, and /k/. It also impacts comprehension and expression. Insufficient information may hinder progress and communication development.
Common Misconception
A common misconception is that intact comprehension negates a probable hearing loss. While this may be true, the only way to be certain that a child does not have difficulty hearing is to complete diagnostic hearing testing. It is very possible that a child with a temporary hearing loss can continue to follow routine, familiar directions; respond to subtle gestural cues such as eye gaze; and seemingly attend to conversational tasks. However, it would be challenging for this same child to imitate a variety of speech sounds, especially if they are hearing sounds as though they are swimming underwater.
There are some telltale signs and/or symptoms that indicate a need for a diagnostic hearing evaluation. Here is a list of the ones that I am most concerned about as a speech pathologist:
- Delay in speech and/or language skills in comparison to siblings/peers
- History of re-occurring ear infections or sinus infections
- Difficulty imitating speech sounds
- Trouble following directions
- Excessively loud talkers
What types of diagnostic tests are included in a hearing evaluation?
There are also different types of diagnostic testing available depending on the child’s age and ability to task during testing. Visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) engages children aged 6 months to 3 years or with developmental delays to respond to environmental sounds. It utilizes external speakers and toys for positive reinforcement. Tympanometry and OAEs check for fluid and inner ear hair cell responsiveness.
Play audiometry is utilized for children who are old enough (4 years or older) to task to a game or toys, but may not quite be old enough to raise their hand for each beep. Usually the game involves dropping toys into a bucket when they hear a beep to help the audiologist establish thresholds. Tympanometry and OAE’s can be performed as well as speech recognition testing.
Older children may be asked to raise their hand or push a button when they hear pure tone “beeps”, repeat words for word recognition score testing, and also tympanometry and OAEs (if necessary).
What are the types of hearing losses?
There are three kinds of hearing loss: conductive, sensorineural, and mixed. A conductive loss is often a temporary condition brought on by: fluid accumulation, ear infections, or a blockage of the Eustachian tube caused by an allergy. A sensorineural hearing loss can be the result of a viral infection such as measles, meningitis, or mumps. This damage to the middle ear may also be caused by head trauma or exposure to extremely loud noise. Some people are born with a sensorineural loss while others may acquire one in old age. These videos help explain causation for these losses and common interventions.
How does fluid and negative pressure in the ears impact hearing?
Understanding the effect of fluid on hearing is crucial, especially for young children. Fluid can give the appearance of normal air conduction levels at times, but the child is losing important speech sounds and cues. Though it appears normal on paper, to them it sounds as though they are hearing underwater. Speech and environmental sounds are muffled, thus effecting a child’s ability to hear and understand sounds correctly. It’s possible that their “normal” levels of hearing without fluid are even better than what is appearing with fluid.
This reduction of hearing can appear to the listener as a “hearing loss” despite showing normal response levels. Diagnostic testing is important as it will show whether the normal hearing thresholds reveal a conductive component (related to Conductive Hearing Loss and is a gap between air and bone conduction thresholds), thus indicating middle ear concerns.
Fluid and Development
Infants and toddlers are prone to excessive fluid build-up in the ear canals because the eustachian tube is parallel, giving fluids a cozy place to stay. As toddlers grow, the eustachian tube begins to slant, which supports natural fluid drainage from the ears. This is just one of the reasons why we encourage toddlers to sit upright while drinking to avoid adding more fluids into that ear canal.
Children can fluctuate in and out of temporary hearing loss conditions and even have this fluid in the ears without an infection. There are several misconceptions regarding children and hearing loss. One is that if your child has “normal responses”, then his hearing is fine. One aspect to look at is tympanometry, which analyzes middle ear function. Tympanometry can tell us if there is fluid or negative pressure in the middle ear, which can greatly impact hearing.
If you have any further questions about the impact of hearing on speech and language development, then please visit these links for more details:
Newborn Hearing Screening
Nanette Cote is an ASHA certified speech pathologist, published author, and private practice business owner with 30 years experience.
