Also called: Hearing Evaluation

Reviewed By:
Robert Daigneault, M.D
Rafiu Ariganjoye, M.D., MBA, FAAP

Hearing tests are used to diagnose problems in a child's ability to hear sounds. These tests are frequently performed shortly after an infant's birth, and again before the child starts school. Children who are at higher risk for a hearing loss may be tested periodically, as such problems sometimes take time to develop.

The process of hearing begins when the outer ear detects sounds from the environment and ends when a portion of the inner ear called the cochlea turns vibrations into electric signals that are sent to the brain. When something interferes with this ability to process sound, a hearing loss may result.

Proper hearing is crucial to developing normal speech and language abilities. For this reason, experts emphasize the importance of diagnosing a hearing impairment within the first six months of a child's life. Today, many states have laws requiring that a baby's hearing be tested following birth and before the child leaves the hospital.

There are two major types of hearing tests. Electrophysiologic tests measure a child's ability to hear based on electrical information generated from the auditory nervous system. Behavioral tests use a technique called audiometry - in which tones are introduced to a child in a soundproof room - while an expert in hearing (audiologist) observes the child's responses to these sounds.

In addition to these tests, tympanometry sometimes is performed to measure the eardrum's response to soft sounds or air pressure in the ear canal.

Most hearing tests are performed in a hospital or other facility with a soundproof room. These tests unfold differently depending on the nature of the test being performed. Once a hearing deficiency has been diagnosed, early treatment is crucial to long-term prognosis. Children who are treated by the age of 6 months usually develop language skills that are similar to the level of their peers.

Some hearing problems are temporary and will disappear as soon as an underlying condition is treated. For example, using antibiotics or undergoing surgery can help clear an ear infection, which in turn should eliminate any associated hearing loss.

However, other forms of hearing loss are permanent. Hearing aids are commonly used to treat such hearing problems. These instruments consist of a microphone, amplifier and receiver that work together to boost a child's ability to hear. Other hearing devices that may help include an FM system and a cochlear implant. Some children with hearing loss may benefit from learning to lip-read or from listening therapy.