Has your child been experiencing an earache or pain that won't go away? Or have you noticed a difference in their ability to hear you? A pediatric audiology appointment with us might be just what they need to determine whether they are experiencing hearing loss. Here's everything to know about the benefits of pediatric audiology.

What is Pediatric Audiology?

Pediatric audiology uses various diagnostic tools and procedures to diagnose and identify hearing disorders in children. It is performed by trained providers known as audiologists who are licensed and certified to carry out various tests to determine and manage hearing loss in their young patients.

Infants as young as 24 to 48 hours old and children of all ages can benefit from a pediatric audiology appointment. Several tests can be carried out during a session, including:

• Otoscopy
• Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) Testing
• Acoustic Reflex testing
• Newborn hearing screening
• Tympanometry
• Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing
• Audiometry testing

What Are the Benefits of Pediatric Audiology?

Hearing disorders can negatively impact important developmental stages in young children and affect their ability to speak and interact with friends and other family members. Getting a pediatric audiology evaluation by a certified audiologist can help improve overall wellness, especially with an early diagnosis.

Pediatric audiology sessions can help determine if your child's hearing loss is permanent or temporary, and if it's in both ears or just one ear. Temporary hearing loss can be caused by a buildup of wax or fluid or a ruptured eardrum, and an appropriate form of treatment can be prescribed.

What to Expect During a Pediatric Audiology Appointment

You might wonder what to expect if you've never been to a pediatric audiology appointment with your child. A certified and licensed audiologist at Carol Ann Berg-Barker, DDS will begin by asking a comprehensive series of questions to determine your child's current health status and any related conditions. From there, the actual diagnostic section of the appointment will begin with the audiologist looking into your child's ears using an otoscope. Depending on the symptoms, various tests can occur, including tympanometry, automated ABR testing, speech understanding, or behavioral audiology tests.

Most pediatric audiology appointments last one to two hours, and follow-up appointments may sometimes be required, especially for fittings for hearing aids and cochlear implants.

Contact Carol Ann Berg-Barker, DDS at (760) 776-5025 for more information about pediatric audiology.