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[Hearing tests in extended high frequency range in pre-school age children. Initial results]
W Reuter1, U Schönfeld, R Fischer
1Abteilung für Audiologie und Phoniatrie, Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin, Freie Universität, Berlin.
Insights
Reliable headphones now allow extended high-frequency (EHF) audiometry in children. This study establishes normal EHF hearing thresholds in preschoolers, showing age impacts results.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Otoacoustic Emissions
- Hearing Science
Context:
- Clinical audiometry is expanding into extended high frequencies (EHF) due to advancements in headphone technology.
- Hearing sensitivity above 10 kHz is susceptible to factors like age, noise exposure, and ototoxicity.
- Establishing normative EHF hearing data in children is crucial for early detection of hearing impairments.
Purpose:
- To assess extended high-frequency (8 kHz–16 kHz) hearing thresholds in preschool-aged children.
- To investigate the influence of age on EHF hearing thresholds in young children.
- To compare EHF hearing thresholds in children with existing adult data.
Summary:
- Thirty-five preschool children (4–7 years) underwent EHF audiometry using Sennheiser HDA-200 headphones.
- Median hearing thresholds were recorded: 25 dB(SPL) at 10 kHz, 35 dB(SPL) at 12.5 kHz, and 50 dB(SPL) at 16 kHz.
- Older children (>5 years) exhibited more reliable and better hearing thresholds compared to younger children (<5 years).
Impact:
- The study provides normative data for EHF hearing in children, aiding in the diagnosis of high-frequency hearing loss.
- Findings indicate that EHF thresholds in children aged 10–12.5 kHz align with adult norms, while 14–16 kHz thresholds are more sensitive.
- This research supports the clinical utility of EHF audiometry for comprehensive hearing evaluations in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
Since reliable headphones are now available, clinical audiometry can also be performed in extended high frequencies (EHF). Hearing in frequencies over 10 kHz is more influenced by age, noise and toxicity. Thus it is useful to take additionally results in children to establish the normal hearing threshold. In the present study, 35 pre-school children (ages 4-7 years) were tested by EHF (8 kHz-16 kHz) using a new Sennheiser HDA-200 headphone. The hearing thresholds recorded corresponded to those of other studied. Median and standard deviations for 10 kHz were 25 dB(SPL) +/- 12 dB(SPL), 35 dB(SPL) +/- 12 dB(SPL) for 12.5 kHz and 50 dB(SPL) +/- 15 dB(SPL) for 16 kHz. In the older children (> 5 years), hearing thresholds could be more reliably determined and were 10 dB(SPL) better than in the younger children (< 5 years). Thresholds at 10 kHz-12.5 kHz corresponded to those found in adults, but were more sensitive by 5 dB(SPL)-15 dB(SPL) in the 14 kHz-16 kHz range.