Children’s hearing tests

The importance of children’s hearing tests

Routine hearing tests are recommended for children of all ages.

In Australia, we are lucky to have free hearing tests conducted on all newborn, testing which will pick up any hearing issues present at birth.

However, as your child grows their ability to hear can change quickly.

Early intervention is the key to ensuring the least amount of ongoing developmental issues for children with hearing loss. But hearing loss can develop at any stage, so what can we as parents do? The best thing is to be vigilant for any signs of hearing loss.

Recommended children’s hearing testing schedule

• At school entry for all children
• At least once at ages 6, 8, and 10
• On entry to high school
• At least once during high school
• For any student entering a new school system without evidence of a previous hearing screening

Signs of hearing loss in children

From 4-8 months you should start to see responses like:

• your baby turning their head or eyes toward sound from sources they can’t see.
• changing expressions at the sound of voices or noises in quiet settings
• enjoying rattles or other toys that make noise.
• talking to itself (although in their own baby babble) and back to you as well.

If they seem to hear some sounds and not others; or respond to noises that make vibrations but not others, you should keep a closer eye on their hearing development.

From there until about 12 months old you should start to see the following behaviours:

• your baby should turn towards new noises or speech directed at them
• they should start to respond to their name
• Their babble will now be more pronounced with varying pitches
• they should also be making several different consonant sounds.

As your children get older keep an eye on the following behaviours:

• Inattention
• Difficulty concentrating
• Poor performance at school
• Difficulty following instructions
• Sitting close or turning the TV up louder
• Frequent requests for repetition.

Always seek professional assistance if your child appears to have hearing difficulties

Clarity’s Children’s Hearing Tests

Clarity offers hearing tests for children 6 months to 3 years and 3 years plus.

Additionally, we also offer school readiness hearing screens for children starting school and Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) screens for school students aged 7 and above.

A full, comprehensive CAPD test battery is also available.

Our full diagnostic paediatric audiological test for children under 3 includes:

• Otoscopy: evaluation of the ear canal, tympanic membrane and the middle ear.
• Cerumen (wax) removal if present
• Full immittance measures including Acoustic Reflex testing and Tympanometry: Testing the ear’s response to loud noises and applying slight air pressure in the ear canal to test the movement of the middle ear
• Visual Reinforcement Observation Audiometry (VROA): sound is presented through speakers and the child is observed to see if they react or turn to the sound
• Auditory Brainstem Response audiometry (ABR) (if required): tests to see how the brain and the nerves involved in hearing responds to sound

Our full diagnostic paediatric audiological test for children 3 years and over includes:

• Otoscopy: evaluation of the ear canal, tympanic membrane and the middle ear.
• Cerumen (wax) removal if present
• Air and bone conduction audiometry: testing of your hearing using both headphones for air conduction and oscillator attached to the head for bone conduction
• Speech audiometry: testing your ability to hear and understand speech
• Full immittance measures including Acoustic Reflex testing and Tympanometry: Testing the ear’s response to loud noises and applying slight air pressure in the ear canal to test the movement of the middle ear
• Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) (if required): testing sounds emitting from the cochlear
• For children aged 7 and above we include the QuickSIN test for those having issues in the presence of normal hearing. This is a pre-screen Central Auditory Processing test that is used as an indicator for a full CAP test battery. Note: Only a full CAP test can exclude CAP as a concern.

Clarity also offer two screens, which are shorter tests than our comprehensive assessments, but they will indicate if anything is of concern and warrants further investigation.

Clarity offers a School Readiness Hearing Screen and a CAPD Screen, or the two can be combined. These are more like a regular check-up to ensure anything of concern is caught and acted upon as soon as possible.

If you or your child’s teachers have any concern about hearing loss, contact Clarity today for hearing advice you can trust.

Request an appointment or a call-back using the button below or call 1300 252 748.

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