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A comparison of screening methods in school-aged children
Wesley W O Krueger1, Ladonna Ferguson
1Otology Group-San Antonio, 9150 Huebner Road, Suite 160, San Antonio, TX 78240, USA. wkruegermd@yahoo.com
Summary
Pure-tone audiometry is recommended for school-aged hearing screening. Follow-up screening with otoacoustic emissions is suggested for children who do not pass the initial pure-tone test.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric audiology
- Hearing screening technologies
Background:
- Early identification of hearing loss in children is crucial for academic success.
- Various screening methods exist, each with unique diagnostic capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of three distinct hearing screening methods in school-aged children.
- Evaluate pure-tone audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), and tympanometry.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 300 second- and third-grade students (599 ears).
- Screening conducted using pure-tone audiometry, DPOAE, and tympanometry within school settings.
Main Results:
- 89% of ears had normal results across all tests; 2% were abnormal in all tests.
- Tympanometry identified the most abnormalities (8.3%), while pure-tone testing identified the fewest (3.3%).
- False-positive rates were lowest for pure-tone testing (1.2%) compared to DPOAE (4.2%) and tympanometry (6.4%).
Conclusions:
- Pure-tone audiometry is an effective initial hearing screening method for children.
- Otoacoustic emissions can serve as a valuable follow-up tool for children who fail pure-tone screening.