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Screening infants and young children for hearing loss: examination of the CAST procedure
1Department of Otolaryngology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.
Insights
The Classification of Audiograms by Sequential Testing (CAST) effectively screens hearing in young children. This visual reinforcement audiometry tool aids in identifying hearing loss for timely follow-up.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Hearing Screening Technologies
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Early identification of hearing loss in infants and young children is crucial for development.
- Conventional audiologic assessments can be challenging for this age group.
- Behavioral screening tools are needed to improve diagnostic efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the Classification of Audiograms by Sequential Testing (CAST) as a computer-mediated visual reinforcement audiometry screening procedure.
- To determine the sensitivity and specificity of CAST in a pediatric population.
- To explore the utility of CAST in guiding follow-up strategies for children with suspected hearing loss.
Main Methods:
- CAST screening was administered to 59 infants and young children.
- Children also underwent conventional audiologic assessment.
- Sensitivity, specificity, and the correlation between CAST patterns and actual audiograms were analyzed.
Main Results:
- CAST demonstrated utility in classifying hearing status among children with normal hearing, conductive hearing loss, and sensorineural hearing loss.
- The study examined the relationship between CAST predictions and confirmed audiograms.
- CAST outcomes, combined with tympanometry and otoscopy, informed follow-up recommendations.
Conclusions:
- CAST is a valuable tool for behavioral hearing screening in infants and young children.
- It serves as an effective component in a comprehensive screening program.
- CAST facilitates efficient identification and follow-up of pediatric hearing loss.
Abstract:
A computer-mediated visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) screening procedure, the Classification of Audiograms by Sequential Testing (CAST), was used with 59 infants and young children who received both CAST screening and conventional audiologic assessment. Approximately one-third of the children had normal hearing, one-third had conductive hearing loss, and the remaining one-third had previously diagnosed sensorineural hearing loss. The sensitivity and specificity of CAST were calculated and the relationship between the predicted CAST pattern and the child's actual audiogram was examined. CAST outcome was also considered along with the results of tympanometry and pneumatic otoscopy to formulate proposed follow-up strategies. CAST appears to be a useful tool for the behavioral screening of infants and young children: one component of a screening program designed to maximize the efficient identification and follow-up of infants and children with hearing loss.