Longitudinal Tracking of Infant Hearing: Electrophysiologic Thresholds to Behavioral Thresholds

Sunday, 7:15am to 8:15am
Windgate Hall
PP5
Infants continue to be diagnosed with hearing loss earlier and fit with amplification younger. The profession of audiology must continue to establish the difference between hearing thresholds that are estimated via electrophysiologic measures versus those established via behavioral testing. Obtaining this information will allow audiologists to fit amplification more appropriately based on electrophysiologic measures. This study completed a retrospective chart review of 16 infants that had completed click ABR, frequency specific ASSR and air conduction pure tone audiometry utilizing visual reinforcement audiometry on two different occasions (i.e., first behavioral and second behavioral). A paired t-test was used to compare the electrophysiologic measures. While the absolute mean difference of the scores noted were small (0.19 - 7.41 dB HL), the range of these scores were large (40 - 80 dB HL). This study concluded that behavioral testing, including ear specific information, continues to be the gold standard to obtain accurate hearing thresholds in infants. Ideal and appropriate hearing aid fittings for infants with hearing loss are largely dependent on these accurate hearing tests. Research continues to show that electrophysiologic measures (ABR/ASSR) only provide an estimate of infant hearing.
Track: 
Audiology