Effects of Body Position on Cochlear Function in Infants: An Otoacoustic Emission Study
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2025
Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
Published on: July 1, 2015
Arash Bayat1,2, Nader Saki3,4, Golshan Mirmomeni4
1Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Insights
The upright position yields the best results for measuring distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in infants. This finding is crucial for accurate infant hearing assessments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Otoacoustic Emissions
- Infant Hearing Assessment
Background:
- Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) are commonly measured in infants across various body positions.
- Limited data exists on how body position non-pathologically affects OAE clinical results.
- Understanding these effects is vital for reliable infant audiological evaluations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different body positions on the inner ear function of infants.
- To determine the optimal body position for recording distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in infants.
Main Methods:
- An analytical cross-sectional study involving sixty normally hearing infants.
- Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were measured in supine, side-lying, and upright positions.
- DPOAE amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were recorded across frequencies from 1500 to 6000 Hz.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher mean DPOAE amplitude and SNR were observed in the upright position compared to supine and side-lying positions (p < 0.05).
- These differences were most notable in the higher frequency range (3000-6000 Hz).
- No statistically significant effects of gender or ear asymmetry on DPOAEs were found.
Conclusions:
- The upright position is recommended as the optimal position for assessing DPOAEs in infants.
- This standardization can improve the reliability and accuracy of infant hearing screening.
- Further research may explore the physiological reasons for position-dependent DPOAE variations.
Background:
Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) is frequently recorded in various body positions for infants. However, little is available about whether these deviations will produce non-pathological effects on the clinical results. The current study assessed body position's effect on infants' inner ear function.
Methods:
Sixty normally hearing infants participated in an analytical cross-sectional study. Distortion-product OAEs (DPOAEs) were measured in the supine, side-lying, and upright positions. The DPOAE amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were recorded across the 1500 to 6000 Hz range.
Results:
The mean DPOAE amplitude and SNR values were significantly greater in the upright position than supine and side-lying positions (p < 0.05). These differences were more pronounced in the 3000 to 6000 Hz range. The effects of gender and ear asymmetry on DPOAEs were not statistically significant.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggested that the upright position could be regarded as the best position for assessing DPOAEs in infants.
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