Pediatric Hearing Loss Identification and Assessment – Key Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering pediatric hearing-loss terminology, screening methods, test procedures, types and degrees of loss, and school-age considerations from Chapter 7 of Introduction to Audiology, 13th Edition.

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)

State-run program that screens every newborn’s hearing before hospital discharge, ensures diagnostic testing by 3 months, and begins intervention by 6 months.

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening

Nationwide practice of testing all babies’ hearing, achieving >96 % coverage in the U.S.

Incidence

Number of new cases of a disorder identified within a specific time period.

Prevalence

Total number of individuals living with a disorder at a given time.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL)

Most common congenital sensory impairment resulting from inner-ear or neural pathology.

Apgar Test

Newborn assessment (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration); low scores indicate higher risk for SNHL.

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)

Electrophysiologic test measuring neural activity from auditory nerve to brainstem; provides pass/fail in screening or threshold data in diagnostics.

Automated ABR

Computer-driven ABR system that gives objective pass/fail results and can be operated by trained technicians.

Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)

Sounds generated by cochlear outer hair cells; used for fast, cost-effective infant hearing screening.

Transient Evoked OAE (TEOAE)

Type of OAE elicited by brief click stimuli during newborn screening.

Auditory Neuropathy/Dys-synchrony (AN/AD)

Hearing disorder where OAEs are present but neural firing is abnormal; often missed by OAE-only screening.

Retrocochlear Pathology

Lesion beyond the cochlea (e.g., auditory nerve) that may allow normal OAEs despite hearing impairment.

Developmental Index of Audition and Listening (DIAL)

Tool for systematically evaluating a child’s auditory abilities relative to developmental norms.

Minimum Response Level (MRL)

Lowest intensity that elicits a behavioral response from infants/young children; usually above true threshold.

Behavioral Observation Audiometry (BOA)

Assessment for infants ≤8 months that notes reflexive changes (e.g., eye widening) to sound.

Auditory Localization

Infant’s ability to turn toward a sound source; absence by 8 months signals possible hearing or cognitive issues.

Sound-Field Audiometry

Use of loudspeakers in a booth to measure hearing responses without earphones.

Conditioned Orientation Reflex (COR)

Test for ≥4-month-olds pairing sound with visual reinforcement to train head-turn responses.

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA)

Technique for ≥6-month-olds rewarding head-turns to sound with lights/toys/videos; usable with earphones or speakers.

Operant Conditioning Audiometry (OCA)

Method giving tangible rewards (food/visuals) for correct responses; requires many trials.

Play Audiometry

Game-based pure-tone testing (e.g., drop block in bucket) for 2- to 5-year-olds to obtain ear-specific thresholds.

Speech Reception Threshold (SRT)

Lowest level at which a child can correctly identify two-syllable spondee words 50 % of the time.

Speech Detection Threshold (SDT)

Softest level at which a child can merely detect speech presence.

Ling Six Sound Test

Quick check using /a, u, i, sh, s, m/ to infer hearing across speech frequencies when tones are unreliable.

Auditory Steady-State Response (ASSR)

Electrophysiologic test providing frequency-specific threshold estimates, useful when behavioral testing fails.

Immittance Testing

Middle-ear assessment (e.g., tympanometry) identifying conductive issues that may affect hearing.

Acoustic Reflex Testing

Measures stapedius muscle response, offering clues about sensory-neural hearing integrity.

Pure-Tone Audiometry

Behavioral test measuring air- and bone-conduction thresholds across discrete frequencies.

Gold-Standard Threshold

Precise intensity levels determining hearing sensitivity upon which rehabilitation plans are based.

Pediatric Case History

Comprehensive parental questionnaire detailing medical, developmental, and auditory concerns prior to testing.

School Hearing Screening

Periodic pure-tone checks at 500–4000 Hz (20 dB HL) plus optional tympanometry/OAE for preschool and select grades.

Personal FM System

Wireless device transmitting teacher’s voice directly to student’s hearing aid/cochlear implant, improving SNR.

Pure Tone Average (PTA)

Mean of thresholds at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz; used to classify degree of hearing loss.

High-Frequency Hearing Loss

Elevated thresholds >25 dB HL at two or more frequencies above 2 kHz.

Unilateral Hearing Loss (UHL)

Normal hearing in one ear with PTA >20 dB HL or elevated thresholds in the opposite ear.

Minimal/Mild Hearing Loss

Bilateral PTA between 20–40 dB HL; can still impact speech perception and academics.

Electrophysiological Tests

Objective assessments (e.g., ABR, ASSR) that can be performed while child is sleeping or sedated.

Outer Hair Cells

Cochlear cells generating OAEs and enhancing basilar-membrane motion; damage reduces cochlear sensitivity.

Hearing Fatigue

Increased tiredness experienced by children who must exert extra effort to listen due to hearing loss.

Cochlear Implant

Surgically implanted device providing electrical stimulation to auditory nerve for severe-to-profound SNHL.

High-Risk Registry

List of neonatal factors (e.g., NICU stay) indicating elevated probability of hearing loss, requiring follow-up testing.

Frequency Compression/Transposition

Hearing-aid processing that shifts high-pitch sounds to lower regions for better audibility.

Tympanometry

Immittance measure evaluating eardrum mobility and middle-ear pressure.

Warble Tone

Frequency-modulated pure tone used in pediatric testing to maintain child interest and reduce standing waves.

dB HL (Hearing Level)

Decibel scale referenced to average normal hearing thresholds; used in audiograms.

Audiogram

Graph plotting hearing thresholds in dB HL across octave frequencies for each ear.

Intervention Before 6 Months

Critical window where amplification or therapy yields best speech-language outcomes for deaf/HOH children.

Outer vs. Inner Ear Disorders

Conductive issues affect pinna/middle ear; sensorineural involve cochlea/nerve pathways.

School Grades at Risk

Students with unilateral or minimal loss show higher rates of grade failure and need academic support.

Sound-Field Speaker

Loudspeaker used to present stimuli in behavioral tests without earphones.