The Audiology Department provides evaluation and rehabilitative services primarily for children from birth to 21 years of age, but we also work with adults upon request. To see our locations, click here.
Our extraordinary team strives to provide you and your child with the best possible care. We do our very best to empower you and your family to make informed decisions about the hearing evaluation treatment process, amplification or cochlear implant options, and educational or language stimulation options.
Our services include:
Evaluation
Diagnostic hearing tests: This is an evaluation of your child’s hearing levels. The technique used for testing will depend on the developmental (cognitive) age of your child. Our goal is always to try to obtain ear-specific information so that we know your child’s hearing levels in each ear. A diagnostic hearing test also includes immittance testing and otoacoustic emissions testing (both described below)
- To learn more about the diagnostic hearing test, click here.
- To download a release to have audiometric information released to your child’s school, click here.
- Para descargar la forma de autorización para mandar la información a su escuela, haga click aquí.
Immittance measures such as tympanometry: This test will let us know how well the eardrum and the three bones behind the eardrum move. It will indicate if there is middle ear dysfunction such as fluid behind the eardrum, an ear infection, a perforation in the eardrum, or a number of other conditions.
- To learn more about immittance measures/tympanometry, click here.
Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) testing: This is an evaluation of the cochlea (the organ of hearing), and it will let us know if this part of the ear is functioning within an expected range.
- To learn more about OAEs, click here.
Auditory processing disorder testing: Children with auditory processing disorder (APD)do not process spoken language in a typical way. For example, a child with APD may hear a sound but not be able to make sense of it. As conventional auditory processing protocols are highly influenced by non-auditory factors including memory, attention, and spoken language ability, our protocol involves the assessment of listening in noise, which is specifically designed to approximate real-world difficulty.
- To learn more auditory processing disorder (APD) testing, click here.
Auditory evoked potential testing (brainstem auditory evoked response and auditory steady state response testing): The Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER or ABR) as well as the Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR) tests are methods of testing the auditory system when a hearing test cannot be performed behaviorally. A child might not be able to be assessed behaviorally either because the child is too young, or the child cannot cooperate during the diagnostic hearing test. The BAER/ASSR test is done while the child/baby is asleep and relaxed.
- To learn more about the BAER and ASSR testing, click here.
- For BAER information and instructions in English, click here.
- Para más información e instrucciones para la prueba BAER, haga click aquí.
Balance Disorders: It is estimated that up to 15 percent of all children have issues with dizziness, and 50 percent of children with atypical hearing levels have dizziness or balance issues. These symptoms can be the result of a vestibular (inner ear) disorder
- To learn more about the balance disorders, click here.
Tinnitus Evaluation:Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no actual external noise is present. It is commonly described as a ringing in the ears, but it can also sound like a roaring, clicking, hissing, whistling, swooshing, or buzzing in the ears. It may be soft or loud, high pitched or low pitched. You might hear it in either one or both ears. Tinnitus can be an acute (temporary) condition and/or a chronic (ongoing) problem. Tinnitus does not have a cure yet. The most effective treatment for tinnitus is to eliminate the underlying cause.
To learn more about tinnitus evaluations and treatment, click here.
Cochlear implant candidacy: Cochlear implants are an option for children with severe to profound hearing levels. A child must undergo series of evaluations do determine if they are a candidate for implantation.
- To learn more about the cochlear implant candidacy process, click here.
Comprehensive Hearing Assessment Team (CHAT) Clinic
The CHAT Clinic is for children with atypical hearing who would benefit from a multidisciplinary team evaluation or who are considering cochlear implantation. Experts from several areas work together to assess children and to assist their families. Many families find the CHAT clinic helpful after receiving a new diagnosis of atypical hearing or after a significant decrease in their hearing ability.
Habilitation/Rehabilitation
While most of our habilitation/rehabilitation services are offered in person, many of our hearing device and cochlear implant services can also be provided remotely via TELE-AUDIOLOGY. Please ask your provider if you would like to complete your appointment remotely.
Hearing aid evaluation, fitting and management: If your child is diagnosed with a permanent hearing difference, they will most likely need hearing device(s) to have access to all the sounds required for spoken language communication. During the hearing device evaluation (known as a Hearing Aid Consult), we discuss the amplification options available for your child. During the fitting of the hearing device(s) we will program the hearing device(s) according to your child’s needs and hearing levels. We will teach you (and your child) how to use and care for the hearing device(s). At the follow up appointment, we will test your child’s hearing with their hearing devices on (if appropriate). Hearing devices come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. They can provide sound through the ear canal (air conduction hearing aids) or via the bones of the head (bone conduction hearing aids)
- To learn more about types of hearing aid and the evaluation and fitting process, click here.
Hearing assistive technology & FM systems: Assistive technology and Remote Microphone Systems (RMS) help provide people with atypical hearing access to sounds, especially in noisy environments.
- To learn more about assistive technology and FM systems, click here.
Cochlear implant program management: If your child receives a cochlear implant, they will be followed up by our cochlear implant audiologists.
- To learn more about the cochlear implant program, click here.