What does a diagnosis of hearing loss mean? A small number of babies are born with a hearing What types of hearing What is a hearing aid? loss, tests are used with Hearing aids are devices that amplify which means they are babies? sounds to make them more audible unable to detect sounds in to a person with a hearing loss. They Behavioural tests the do not cure the hearing loss but are Behavioural tests are based on helpful to many users. same way as other causing or observing a change in children. Hearing loss can What is a cochlear behaviour in response to sound. They include occur if there is implant? behavioural observation audiometry interruption to the (BOA), visual reinforcement Sometimes called a bionic ear, a passage of sound audiometry (VRA) and play cochlear implant is a hearing device anywhere along the audiometry. Behavioural testing designed to produce useful hearing hearing pathway.1 involves the baby or child responding sensations by stimulating nerves to sound, for example by turning the inside the inner ear electrically. It is Hearing tests usually involve taking head. surgically implanted and suitable for specific measurements that provide people with severe or profound Objective tests information about the type and hearing impairments. These tests measure the degree of loss. Results are usually What are the different displayed on a graph called an physical response of a specific part of the auditory system and audiogram. These results are used types of hearing losses? to determine the appropriate next require little or no cooperation step for each child. from the child. Hearing losses may be sensorineural, Hearing loss is described by where They include the auditory brainstem conductive or mixed. In order to the source of the hearing loss is, response (ABR) test, otoacoustic understand what they mean, it is and it will also be described as mission (OAE) and auditory steady important to know that the ear is mild, state response (ASSR). made up of three parts: the outer moderate, severe or profound. Tympanometry is another objective Regardless of the label given to your ear, the middle ear and the inner child’s hearing loss, it’s important test which gives information about ear. Each of these parts plays a to remember that each hearing loss the function of the middle ear. different role in hearing. is unique.2
What does a diagnosis of hearing loss mean? A small number of babies are born with a hearing loss, which means they are unable to detect sounds in the same way as other children. Hearing loss can occur if there is interruption to the passage of sound anywhere along the hearing pathway.1 Hearing tests usually involve taking specific measurements that provide information about the type and degree of loss. Results are usually displayed on a graph called an audiogram. These results are used to determine the appropriate next step for each child. Hearing loss is described by where the source of the hearing loss is, and it will also be described as mild, moderate, severe or profound. Regardless of the label given to your child’s hearing loss, it’s important to remember that each hearing loss is unique.2 What types of hearing tests are used with babies? Behavioural tests Behavioural tests are based on causing or observing a change in behaviour in response to sound. They include behavioural observation audiometry (BOA), visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) and play audiometry. Behavioural testing involves the baby or child responding to sound, for example by turning the head. Objective tests These tests measure the physical response of a specific part of the auditory system and require little or no cooperation from the child. They include the auditory brainstem response (ABR) test, otoacoustic mission (OAE) and auditory steady state response (ASSR). Tympanometry is another objective test which gives information about the function of the middle ear. What is a hearing aid? Hearing aids are devices that amplify sounds to make them more audible to a person with a hearing loss. They do not cure the hearing loss but are helpful to many users. What is a cochlear implant? Sometimes called a bionic ear, a cochlear implant is a hearing device designed to produce useful hearing sensations by stimulating nerves inside the inner ear electrically. It is surgically implanted and suitable for people with severe or profound hearing impairments. What are the different types of hearing losses? Hearing losses may be sensorineural, conductive or mixed. In order to understand what they mean, it is important to know that the ear is made up of three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. Each of these parts plays a different role in hearing.
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