Infant & Pediatric Hearing Testing
At Professional Hearing & Speech Center we specialize in evaluating infants, young children and those children with special needs. We are experienced in making the evaluation procedure as pleasant as possible. The following are guidelines for development and answers to common questions.
Hearing services for infants. Good hearing is essential to the social and intellectual development of infants and young children. Dr. Gordon can identify hearing loss in children of any age. This includes newborn and infant hearing screening and diagnostic hearing tests with young children. We also fit hearing aids on babies and young children with hearing loss.
It is important to have your baby’s hearing checked. As many as 3 of every 1,000 babies are born in the United States each year with hearing loss. Your baby can’t tell you if he or she can’t hear. Babies who do not hear your voice, a lullaby or a nursery rhyme may have problems learning to talk. It is vitally important to have your baby’s hearing tested before you leave the hospital. Hearing problems need to be identified as early as possible so that you may take actions that give your baby the best chance to develop speech and language.
Why should your baby’s hearing be screened? Hearing loss is a hidden disability; that’s why it is so important to have your baby’s hearing evaluated. Each year, more than 4,000 babies are born with hearing loss. Most babies born with hearing problems are otherwise healthy and have no family history of hearing loss. It is important for you to be sure that your baby has normal hearing. It is unlikely that your baby will have a hearing loss; however, the only way to know is to have your baby’s hearing tested as early as possible. The first year of life is critical to the development of normal speech and language.
How will my baby’s screening test be done? There are two types of hearing screening tests that may be used with your baby. Both tests are very safe and take only minutes to evaluate each ear. Most babies sleep through their hearing screening. 1) Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) tests the infant’s ability to hear soft sounds through miniature earphones. Sensors measure your baby’s brainwaves to determine if soft sounds can be heard. 2) Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) are measured directly with a miniature microphone and sent to a special computer to determine your baby’s hearing status.
What if my baby does not pass the test? There are many reasons your baby may not “pass” the first hearing test and require a second evaluation. Perhaps your baby was too active, too wide-awake, or you were discharged from the hospital before the hearing test was completed. It is important that you follow through with any recommendations made by your audiologist, hospital staff member and/or physician.
If my baby passes the screening, do I need to have hearing checked again? Hearing screening tests usually confirm that your baby has normal hearing. However, hearing problems in your baby can develop after you leave the hospital. If anyone in your family has hearing loss, your baby should be tested every year. If you ever have concerns about your child’s hearing, speech or language, be sure to discuss them with your audiologist and/or physician.
“NO CHILD IS TOO YOUNG FOR A HEARING EVALUATION.”
Services for school children. Dr. Gordon works closely with many school systems in Monmouth County. She provides a full range of hearing services in private and public schools for students in all grades. Such services are essential to the development of speech, language and learning skills in children with hearing problems.
It is important to keep in mind that regardless of your baby's age, there are safe, effective and accurate tests that can be used to determine how well your baby hears. Newborns often have their hearing screened in the hospital and if they do not pass the screening follow-up by an audiologist is strongly recommended. If your newborn does not pass the hearing screening it is important that they have a re-test within 2 weeks.
Children who seem to have normal hearing, should continue to have their hearing evaluated on a regular basis. Hearing screenings are usually performed in school yearly through the 3rd grade, in seventh grade and 11th grade. If you are concerned that your child seems to be having trouble hearing, or if their speech development seems abnormal or their speech is difficult to understand call us at 732-303-9660.
At Professional Hearing & Speech Center we are skilled in evaluating infants, children, the developmentally delayed and the difficult to test. We will guide you through every step of the evaluation and rehabilitation process.
How Is My Child's Hearing Tested?
Dr. Gordon has been evaluating infants and children for over 20 years. There are several methods of testing a child's hearing depending upon the child's age, development, or health status. Behavioral tests involve careful observation of a child's behavioral response to sounds like calibrated speech and pure tones. This may include an infant's eye movements, a head-turn by a toddler, placement of a block in a bucket by a pre-schooler, or a hand-raise by a grade-schooler. Speech responses may involve repeating words at soft or comfortable levels or prompting to parts of the face. Very young children are capable of a number of behavioral tests. Parents, please rest assured, there are no tests conducted at our center that can cause your child any physical pain.
Physiologic tests are not hearing tests but are measures that can partially estimate hearing function. They are used for children who can't be tested behaviorally due to young age, developmental delay, or other medical conditions and in some conditions can help to define the function of the auditory system that is at fault.
Call 732-303-9660 or e-mail Professional_Hearing and_Speech Center to obtain more information on how Dr. Gordon can help you and your child.