Hearing Tests
A variety of different methods are available to test your child's
hearing. The audiologist will choose a method that is best suited for
your child's age. Usually, hearing tests performed on newborns and
babies use objective measuring methods to assess the baby's hearing and
do not require the active participation of the baby. All these tests are
quick, simple and painless and are performed while the baby is asleep.
Parents can stay with the baby while the hearing test is being carried
out.
In Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) screening, the function of the hair cells
in the cochlea is checked. A tiny earpiece is placed into the baby's
ears emitting clicking sounds. When the cochlea receives these sounds,
it produces an echo that the screening equipment picks up. A similar
screening method, the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), measures brain
waves in response to auditory stimuli (usually a clicking sound). Older
children can participate more actively in audiometry tests. The child
indicates when he or she hears a sound (pure-tone audiometry) or
understands speech (speech audiometry).
Early Intervention
Newborns are already able to recognize their mother's voice. During the
first few months, infants learn to understand a variety of sounds around
them. They can very quickly distinguish between human speech and other
environmental sounds. The first two years are especially important for
language acquisition. Children with hearing loss cannot easily develop
these abilities later on.
Early intervention means acting without delay to treat your child's
hearing loss. If your child has an irreversible hearing loss that cannot
be otherwise remedied, it is vital to get hearing instruments as soon
as possible. It is also very important to assess how well the hearing
instrument(s) work(s) for the child. If hearing aids are not going to be
enough to help the child to develop spoken language, it is crucial to
determine this as quickly as possible so that other alternatives can be
evaluated while the child is still in the critical language learning
phase.
The younger a child's age when receiving a hearing device, the easier it
will be for him/her to learn to hear and speak. A baby's brain is
better able to process new information than that of older children, and
when children are provided with a hearing device at a very young age,
they often develop spoken language quickly and can "catch up" with other
children born with normal hearing.
Is My Child a Candidate for a CI?
If you and your audiologist or speech-language professional consider a
cochlear implant to be the best solution for your child, the next step
is to contact an ENT clinic with a cochlear implant program. A list of
cochlear implant centers is available from MED-EL. Your local team of CI
specialists will work with you to determine whether your child is a
candidate for cochlear implantation.
Basic candidacy criteria for implantation include:
- Your child has a profound sensorineural hearing loss in both ears.
- Your child receives little or no benefit from hearing aids.
- There are no medical reasons your child cannot undergo surgery.
- Your child has access to appropriate education and rehabilitation follow-up.
- You and your child are highly motivated to participate in required rehabilitation programs.
Please note: not every child with a profound hearing loss is a candidate for cochlear implantation. Here are some reasons why:
- If your child can receive a significant benefit from hearing aids, they are likely the better solution.
- If your child's hearing loss comes from somewhere other than the inner ear, a cochlear malformation, or the absence of the hearing nerve, an alternative solution might be more effective.
- To gain the greatest hearing benefit from a CI, it is important for children to have full support from their family and to participate in rehabilitation programs. If a family cannot commit to participation in a rehabilitation program, other options besides a CI may need to be considered.
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