Making Hearing Screenings Friendly & Fun for Children
For pediatric audiologists, most days consist of fun and games in order to get the job done. Children under five-years-old typically cannot complete a hearing evaluation the same way as an adult. Rather than having a child raise his or her hand to identify whether or not they hear a sound, audiologists at the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) use toys that light up and make sound to gauge their responses.
Director of PEI and pediatric audiologist Dr. Lindsay Bondurant explains the process for evaluating and treating children with hearing loss is much different than the one for adults.
“Our goals for kids are very different than they are for adults because speech, language and learning are critical during that time,” she said. “Audiologists need to ensure that they have full access to speech and language sounds, to emotional content of speech and to overhear how people converse with one another so that they can develop like a typical child would.”
Other techniques include making games out of the process such as throwing a block into a bucket or placing a ring on a stack whenever the child hears a sound.
“While it may not look very scientific from the parents’ perspective, the method is very accurate and research based,” Dr. Bondurant said. “We want the child to see it as a game, not as though they’re going to doctor.”
After successfully completing their evaluation, children can choose from a wide variety of superhero, princess, animal or popular character stickers as a reward for a job well done.
PEI’s pediatric audiology services assist children of all ages, from birth through adulthood. Our specialists utilize some of the latest technologies and techniques to diagnose hearing loss and provide effective recommendations for treatment. If you believe your child has experienced hearing loss, contact us today for a comprehensive hearing evaluation.