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Impedance Testing
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Approximate time length - 5 minutes
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This
procedure measures the condition of the middle ear system (eardrum
and hearing bones). It is performed by placing an earplug in each
ear. The patient is asked to sit very still. He/She will feel a
slight change in pressure in the ear canal, as if he/she were
ascending or descending in an airplane. This feeling will go away
after a few seconds. The patient may also hear some loud tones. It
is not necessary to respond to these tones as a computer will
record the
responses. |
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Otoacoustic Emissions
(OAEs) |
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Approximate time length - 5 minutes
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This
procedure is used to assess the patient's cochlear (inner ear)
function. An ear plug is placed in the patient’s ear, and he/she
will hear a series of buzzes or tones. The patient is asked to sit
very still and quiet. A very sensitive microphone contained in the
earplug will record the noise (emissions) made by the activity of
the cochlea in response to the sound. This is graphically
displayed on the computer.
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Auditory Brainstem
Response (ABR) |
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Approximate time length - 2 hours,
including the sedation procedure
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This
procedure assesses the function of the auditory (hearing) pathway,
from the ear to the brainstem. It is the preferred test to assess
hearing in infants and children who are too young to obtain
accurate behavioral testing, usually three years or younger. The
patient is given a sleeping medicine, chloral hydrate, by mouth.
It takes approximately 30-45 minutes for the child to go to sleep
following the administration of this medication. While the patient
is sleeping, electrodes are place on the skin behind the ear, on
the forehead and on the center of the scalp. This does not hurt
nor does it shock the patient. An earphone will be placed in the
patient’s ear. Different tones and clicks will be presented to
the ear. The electrodes will record the auditory nerves response
to these sounds. These responses will be graphically displayed on
a computer screen.
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Basic Comprehensive
Audiometry |
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Approximate time length
- 20 to 30 minutes
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This
procedure determines the softest sound that a patient can hear
through behavioral testing techniques. The patient will be seated
in a sound booth wearing headphones. He/She will be asked to
listen and respond to different tonal stimuli. The lowest decibel
level at which the patient can consistently detect tones of
various frequencies (pitch) will be established. The patient’s
ability to understand speech will also be determined. |
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Aided Audiometry |
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Approximate time length
- 10 to 20 minutes
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The
patient will be seated in a sound booth and asked to respond to
different sounds, which will be presented through a speaker. The
softest level at which the patient can hear tones of various
frequencies will be determined using one hearing aid at a time and
then wearing both hearing aids at the same time. |
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Speech Testing for
cochlear implant evaluation |
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Approximate time length
- N/A
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Two different
types of speech testing will be administered during the aided
audiometry testing. The first test, the HINT (Hearing in Noise
Test), will be given presented through the speakers using one
hearing aid at a time and then using both hearing aids. The test
consists of ten sentences, which the patient will be asked to
attempt to repeat. The second test, the CNC
(Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant) Word list will also be administered
using one hearing aid at a time. The CNC Word list consists of
fifty words. The patient is asked to repeat the word he/she
heard.
NOTE: Not all
candidates will be able to perform these test due to their
degree of hearing loss. However, these tests will assist us as
well as the candidate in watching their post
implantation progress.
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Visual Response
Audiometry |
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Approximate time length
- 15 to 20 minutes
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The
child will be seated in the parent’s lap between two speakers in
a sound booth. Speech and tones will be presented through the
speakers. When the child turns toward the source of the sound, a
toy will light up as a reward. The goal is for the child to learn
that when he or she hears a sound and localizes the sound, he/she
will get to see the toy. Once this pattern has been established
consistently, the sounds can be made softer until the point at
which the child no longer turns toward the toy. The level where
this occurs is checked several times to make sure that the patient
is consistently responding at the same level. |
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Play Audiometry |
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Approximate time length
- 15 to 20 minutes
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This
procedure is used to evaluate a child’s hearing while playing a
game. The child is seated in a sound booth and is taught that
every time they hear a sound (speech or tones), he or she gets to
take a turn in the game. This can be done using many different
types of games. Once the child understands that each time they
hear the sound they get to take a turn the sound can be made
softer until the point at which he or she no longer responds. This
level is evaluated at least two times in order to insure that the
child is consistently responding at the same level. |
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