New Hearing Services Offered at Nemours Children’s Clinic
Pensacola, Florida
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 02:18 PM EST
by: Odette Struys
Pensacola, FL - In the first few years of life, hearing is a critical part of a child’s social, emotional and cognitive development. Children who are identified and receive appropriate intervention before six months of age can develop language comparable to their hearing peer group. Early identification will provide the opportunity for improved outcomes for thousands of children with hearing loss.
The Division of Otolaryngology (more commonly known as Ear Nose and Throat or ENT) at Nemours Children’s Clinic in Pensacola has recognized the need to identify these children with hearing loss. With an addition of a certified audiologist and specialized equipment such as a new sound booth, audiometer and middle ear analyzer, hearing tests can now be performed to help detect hearing loss as early as 1 - 2 months of age.
“Currently, we are treating children from Biloxi, Mississippi to Marianna, Florida and with the addition of these new services, it enables us to fully evaluate, treat and monitor these children referred to us from such a large area,” says Jeff Chicola, MD, pediatric otologist. “It is especially helpful for our out-of-town patients so we can maximize care and minimize travel for these families.” The earlier hearing loss occurs in a child’s life, the more serious the effects on the child’s development. Similarly, the earlier the problem is identified and intervention begun, the less serious the ultimate impact.
There are four major ways in which hearing loss affects children:
- It causes delay in the development of speech and language skills.
- The language deficit causes learning problems that result in reduced academic achievement.
- Communication difficulties often lead to social isolation and poor self-concept.
- It may have an impact on vocational choices.
How Is A Child's Hearing Tested?
There are several methods of testing a child's hearing. The method chosen depends in part on the child's age, development or health status. ,/p>
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Test: Tiny earphones are placed in the baby's ear canals. Usually, click-type sounds are introduced through the earphones, and electrodes measure the hearing nerve's response to the sounds. A computer averages these responses and displays waveforms. Because there are characteristic waveforms for normal hearing in portions of the speech range, a normal ABR can predict fairly well that a baby's hearing is normal in that part of the range. Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Test: In this brief test, a tiny probe is placed in the ear canal. Numerous pulse-type sounds are introduced, and an "echo" response from the outer hair cells in the inner ear is recorded. These recordings are averaged by a computer. A normal recording is associated with normal outer hair cell function and this typically reflects normal hearing although in some cases the hearing loss may be due to problems in other parts of the hearing pathway.
Tympanometry: Tympanometry is not a hearing test but a procedure that can show how well the eardrum moves when a soft sound and air pressure are introduced in the ear canal. It is helpful in identifying middle ear problems, such as fluid collecting behind the eardrum.
Behavioral Test: Behavioral tests involve careful observation of a child's behavioral response to sounds like calibrated speech and pure tones. Pure tones are the distinct pitches (frequencies) of sounds. Sometimes other calibrated signals are used to obtain frequency information.
The behavioral response might be an infant's eye movements, a head-turn by a toddler, placement of a game piece by a preschooler or a hand-raise by a gradeschooler. Speech responses may involve picture identification of a word or repeating words at soft or comfortable levels. Very young children are capable of a number of behavioral tests.
To find more information about hearing loss in children, visit www.Nemours.org click on the links below:
- How will I know if my child has trouble hearing? - article
- Hearing Evaluation in Children - articleWhats Hearing Loss? - article
- KidsHealth.org - website for information on children’s health
- www.asha.org - for statistics on hearing loss for children
modified: Thursday, February 14, 2008 @ 03:57 PM EST
created: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 02:15 PM EST
About Nemours
Nemours, one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems, is dedicated to achieving higher standards in children’s health. Nemours offers an integrated spectrum of clinical treatment coupled with research, advocacy, and educational health and prevention services extending to all families in the communities it serves. Starting with Alfred I. duPont’s bequest over seventy years ago, Nemours has grown into a multi-dimensional organization offering personalized clinical and preventive care focused on children.
Nemours owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and major children’s specialty clinics in Delaware (Wilmington), Florida (Jacksonville, Orlando and Pensacola), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr) and New Jersey (Atlantic City and Voorhees). Having recently received preliminary approval from the State of Florida, Nemours will establish a new full-service children’s hospital as part of an integrated pediatric health campus in Orlando. KidsHealth.org, the world’s most visited pediatric health care Web site for parents, kids and teens, is a project of Nemours.
Nemours employs over 4,400 individuals, including 430 pediatric physicians, specialists and surgeons who cared for approximately a quarter of a million children in 2007. The organization’s goal is to align with parents, physicians, community leaders, children’s advocates and elected officials to ensure optimal wellness for every child. Additional information about Nemours can be found at www.nemours.org.
