Pure-tone and tympanometric screening: an ideal pair in identification audiometry

A population of 140 fourth graders participated in a combined audiometric and tympanometric screening project. Pass/fail criteria were established for both subtests. The children were compared between the two tests with the following findings: (1) 52.2% passed both tasks and 5.0% failed both; (2) 36.4% passed the pure-tone task and failed the tympanometric procedure; and (3) 6.4% failed the pure-tone observation and passed the tympanometric study. Of the total population, 42.8% were inconsistent for the norms established for the two tasks. Since the ideal goal of a hearing screening task is to locate children with hearing losses and/or medically related hearing problems, the routine use of tympanometric screening as an integral part of a hearing conservation program is proposed.