Paediatric Assessments
Hearing and listening tests in children are tailored to the developmental age or maturity of the child. A tiny baby may have excellent hearing but it may be very difficult to prove that this is the case. A combination of technology and clinical skill is the answer to the effective evaluation of young people. Our tests are in two sets or 'batteries' - Routine (mainly peripheral) and Auditory Processing (mainly central). You can think of peripheral as ear-related and central as brain-related hearing and listening. Both these sets of tests should be performed on children referred for school failure, learning disorders and/or behavioural problems. A child referred for a 'hearing test' may also need assessment of her/his auditory processing skills.Tympanometry is a speedy and very useful test of middle ear function. The middle ear is where you find all of the mechanical parts of the ear. It can be blocked due to infections, colds, or a range of other conditions. Ear doctors (ENT Specialists) are skilled at repairing and treating disorders of the middle ear. If we suspect that this part of your child's ear is involved, we will arrange for you to see a doctor. Tympanometry is an essential test for the under-3's when BC testing cannot usually be done. Children from birth to two years and from 5 to 7 years represent the groups of people most prone to middle ear conditions, particularly 'glue ear'.
Auditory processing (or Central Auditory processing - CAP) is the name given to a set of 'sorting out' processes which take signals picked up by the ear and make them into a form which is understandable by the brain. Quite a few professionals are interested in CAP disorders (CAPD), including speech therapists, psychologists, paediatricians and teachers. As audiologists we use carefully controlled listening conditions in 'sound proof' rooms and regularly calibrated equipment. We receive referrals from many professionals as well as concerned parents, and CAP testing is a natural extension of our other work.