Pediatric Hearing Loss

1. Prelingual hearing loss

1.1. Hearing loss occurs soon after birth but before a child has developed language

2. Poslingual hearing loss

2.1. Hearing loss occurs in later childhood or adolescence after language skills are well established

3. Deaf

3.1. Often refers to those persons whose hearing loss is severe

4. Types of Loss

4.1. 1.

4.1.1. Conductive hearing loss

4.1.1.1. Caused by damage to the outer or middle ear, with the inner ear and cochlea intact

4.2. 2.

4.2.1. Sensorineural hearing loss

4.2.1.1. Caused by damage to the cochlea or the auditory nerve, with the outer and middle ear intact

4.3. 3.

4.3.1. Mixed hearing loss

4.3.1.1. Caused by damage to both the conductive and sensorineural mechanisms

5. Decibels

5.1. Hearing loss is also classified according to its severity, using the decibel system

6. Threshold

6.1. The prevailing approach to hearing loss is to identify the threshold

7. Bone Conduction

7.1. The transmittal of sound vibrations along the bones of the skull

8. Otitis Media

8.1. A viral or bacterial infection of the middle-ear space

9. Otocoustice Emissions

9.1. A measure of cochlear function

10. Evoked auditory potentials

10.1. A measure of the electrical response of the auditory system to a sound stimulus

11. Otoscopic examnination

11.1. Detects any abnormalities in these structures and to ensure a clear external auditory canal prior to testing

12. Audiometry

12.1. Also called pure-tone testing, provides objective information about hearing acuity

13. Air Conduction

13.1. The way most sounds are delivered to the cochlea and auditory pathway

14. Immittance

14.1. Describes the acoustic flow of energy through the middle-ear space

15. Tympanometry

15.1. A tool which examines tympanic membrane movement, or vibration.

16. Probe microphone measurement

16.1. Real ear testing

17. FM system

17.1. Most common ALD used by children, it's a personal amplification system that can be used independently or with hearing aids.

18. Cochlear implant

18.1. A surgically placed device that provides direct electrical stimulation to the auditory nerve

19. Hearing Loss

19.1. Refers to the condition in which a child or adolescent is unable to detect or distinguish the range of sounds normally available to the human ear

20. Auditory Processing Disorders

20.1. Hearing losses resulting from damage to the processing centers of the brain

21. Congenital hearing loss

21.1. Hearing loss may be present at birth