[Hearing tests in extended high frequency range in pre-school age children. Initial 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.