Pediatric Services

PEDIATRIC SERVICES

The importance of evaluating and identifying hearing loss in the infant or young child cannot be emphasized enough.  Hearing loss of any degree in a child not adequately diagnosed and treated can negatively affect speech, language, academic, emotional and psychosocial development of a young child.

Our clinic provides a range of services that include identification, diagnosis, and management for children of all ages… from birth up… whether with hearing concerns or hearing loss.  We work with the pediatrician, the family, school and any outside agencies to help promote the child’s communication and proper development.

Any age can be tested with the appropriate test.  The type of test utilized depends on the child’s age in years or developmental level.  Some tests do not require a behavioral response from a child while others involve interaction playing with the child.

PEDIATRIC AUDIOLOGY SERVICES

We provide audiologic assessment for children of all ages (birth through school years). The audiologic evaluation may include:

• Behavioral Hearing Test –  A patient must be able to indicate that he/she hears a presented sound with a behavioral response.
• Visual Reinforcement Audiometry – Sounds are emitted from earphones or speakers.  When a child looks in the appropriate direction, a visual signal plays to maintain the child’s interest in the auditory signal. 
• Conditioned Play Audiometry – We engage a child with a task to complete when they hear a sound through earphones or speakers.
• Central Auditory Processing Evaluation – A child may have entirely normal hearing thresholds, but lack the ability to process  the sounds they here.  A battery of tests are completed to determine if a child is able to not only hear a signal, but also accurately process the information that is presented.  
• Auditory Brainstem Response Testing – Dr. Thomas of Athens Hearing & Balance clinic is the director of the Universal Newborn Infant Hearing Screening Program at Athens Regional Hospital.  If a baby does not pass the screening at birth, our clinic are able to rescreen them as required by Georgia state law.  At this appointment we can determine if a baby’s hearing is essentially normal without a behavioral response.
• Otoacoustic Emissions – We are able to obtain information in regards to the outer hair cells inside the inner ear.  Outer Hair Cells are the receptors that amplify quiet sounds and are essential in helping us to hear within the normal hearing range.
• Tympanometry – allows us to assess middle ear status.  We have 250Hz and 1000Hz probe tone tympanometers.  A 1000Hz probe tone must be used to properly assess infant middle ear function (birth to approximately 4/6 months old), as infant ears are mass dominated in comparison to a stiffness dominated young child or adult ear.

Our team looks forward to working with you to provide quality hearing healthcare.