Practical Flashcards
goal of behavioral testing
determine if the child has sufficient hearing to develop S/L
protocol that provides a direct measure of hearing
behavioral audiologic testing
Purposes of audiological assessments in infants and children:
To determine the type, degree, and configuration of hearing loss in each ear.
To assess the impact of hearing loss on speech, language, communication, and education.
To identify risk factors for progressive or delayed-onset hearing loss for ongoing monitoring.
To evaluate candidacy for sensory devices (hearing aids, assistive devices, cochlear implants).
To refer for medical evaluation and early intervention services when appropriate
Indications for Comprehensive Audiological Evaluation
Referral from newborn hearing screens or risk factors for hearing loss.
Behaviors indicating hearing loss vary by age:
Infants: No response to loud sounds or not turning to sudden sounds.
Toddlers: Not responding to verbal instructions, talking too softly or loudly, or speech misarticulations.
School-aged children: Frequently asking for repetition, turning up TV volume, difficulty following directions, inattention, or social isolation.
Parental concerns about hearing or speech/language delays.
what is the cross check principle
achieved through a test battery approach, where multiple tests cross-check each other to ensure accuracy, especially in infants and young children.
adv of test battery approach
Provides detailed information
Avoids drawing conclusions from a single test
Allows for the identification of multiple pathologies
Provides a comprehensive foundation for observing a child’s auditory behaviors
behavioral test protocon needs to include
ross-check principle (ensures valid & comprehensive eval) & developmentally appropriate for assessing hearing in infants and children
how do you choose the appropriate testing
Determine child’s cognitive age - determined from case hx, reports from other evals & infant developmental screening scales
Evaluate their physical status - used to determine his/her ability to perform the test task, evaluating their ability to control head, neck & upper torso, see objects (vision) and ability to manipulate toys
Choose the test room setup
for behaviorally testing if there is significant physical limitations but cognitively they are there what should you do
can verbally say they heard it
can use eye movement
physiological measures
what factors affect behavioral assessment
state of the child during the assessment
audiologists skills
clinican assistance
testing environment & setup
past experience
describe the stimuli used for behavioral audiometry
Frequency specific
Warble tones (pure tones?)
Narrow band noise
Non-frequency specific
Music
Noise
Speech - used to capture their attention & determine SAT
Speech can be used to confirm
warble/NBN threshold levels
Used to condition during audiometry to gain their attention more?
Ba - close to 500 (low)
Sh - close to 2000 (mid high)
S - close to 3-4000 (high)
ba
close to 500 (low)
sh
close to 2000 (mid high)
s
close to 3-4 (high)
presentation procedure for behavioral audiometry
Start at 30dB(improves probability of starting close to threshold) & increase in 20 dB if no response happens
Completed from 500-4000 Hz: most critical for S/L development
Begin at HFs because many infants respond better to these (usually 2000 Hz) (obtain one HF & one LF)
If SNHL suspected start at 500 Hz
If middle ear pathology/CHL , start at 2000 Hz because CHL affects LFs more
After 500 and 2000 Hz, these answers determine the next most important piece of info
Significant difference between 5 and 2: test 1 next & if flat loss test 4 next
Ex: if thresholds are 500 and 2000 Hz are normal more useful to test 4000 Hz than 1000 Hz but if hearing at 500 Hz is 30 dB and 2000 is at 70 then testing 1000 Hz is more crucial
Attention concerns, test 2-3 frequencies
CHL - test 250, 500, & 2,000
SNHL - test 500, 2,000 & 4,000
If HL present, BC testing is next
Alternate bw ears
how is stimuli presented for behavioral audios
Inserts, supras, SF, BC, HA’s CIs
adv/dis of headphones & SF
Soundfield:
Global idea about hearing
Information reflects better hearing ear
Natural head turn seems more intuitive in this localization task than in lateralization task.
Headphones
Needed for ear specific information
Inserts are good options for infants
Soundfield testing yields more responses than for insert earphone
Using earphones first may upset the child; very little information is obtained.
Infant responses are better for localization in soundfield than lateralization under earphones.
Suprathreshold stimuli presented at a level at which the infant previously responded
Used to demonstrate understanding of the task before descending in level to determine threshold and through the test to determine if the infant is still on task
probe trials
Observation trials in which the examiner judges whether a head turn occurs in teh absence of sound stimulation
Primarily used to determine if the responses “head turn” being judged are truly responses to the test stimuli and not just random head turns
control trials
what to do with no responses
Stimulus might not be audible or engaging enough (increase PL or change stim type or frequency)
Use VT stimulus w/ bone oscillator (~ 40 dB HL at 250 Hz)
what are some reasons a child might have to return for a follow up
Inconsistent responses
Inadequate cooperation: might be fussy, sleepy, uncooperative
If infant is unwell (cold, flu, ear infections)
Ototoxicity monitoring
Ear canal/tympanic membrane abnormalities
what can you do to test behavioral audio in severe to profound
May need test adaptations
The probe from the insert earphones can be attached directly to their personal earmolds.
If the child does not respond at the audiometric limits, it may be possible to obtain a response using a bone vibrator held either in the child’s hand, on the knee, or on the mastoid.
Once the child responds consistently to the tactile stimulus, begin testing with earphones at 250 or 500 Hz
what are ped audiology tools
case hx
speech audiometry (SAT, SRT, WRS)
behavioral audiometry (BOA, VRA, CPA, Conventional
physiologic tests (TYMPS, OAEs, reflexes)
electrophysiologic tests (ABR, ASSR)
dev measures (ASQ, IDA, CDL etc.)
fxnal measures (ITMAIS, LITTLEARS, CHAPS, ETC.)
what is the importance of case hx
Accurate diagnosis of hearing loss relies on interpretation of a test battery within the context of the child‘s medical and/or developmental history.
Understanding the Child: Provides essential information about the child’s development and health, offering insights into their cognitive and developmental status and helping estimate their auditory skills.
Understanding the Family: Enables the audiologist to understand the parents’ concerns, needs, and assessment expectations, and helps build rapport with family and caregivers, which is crucial for effective counseling.
Observational Opportunities: Allows the audiologist to observe the child’s behavior and note interactions with family members and others.
Accurate diagnosis of hearing loss relies on interpretation of a test battery within the context of the child‘s medical and/or developmental history.
true
describe behavioral audiometry
measures the whole system
requires cooperation
direct measure of hearing
parents can observe and understand the results
when is boa performed
Birth to 6 mos
what are we looking at with BOA
Observation - sucking response
Looking for changes in sucking response to sounds (with bottle, nursing, pacifier (nonnutritive sucking); this change in sucking pattern is most likely to provide threshold responses
Cessation or initiation of sucking rate is a reliable response for observing auditory behavior in younger than 6 mos within 2s of the stimulus presentation
how do you detect a response in BOA
TIMING - responses need to be within 2 s of sond presentation
Some respond to the ON and some respond to the OFF
Infants are consistent in their pattern of response
Response time is slightly shorter for louder stimulus
testers needed for BOA
Minimum of 2
Audiologist - control room
Audiologist or assistant next to infant - monitoring child making sure the head and torso are comfortably balanced
Both need good visualization
when should you get ear specific information with headphones
Ear specific info might not be required at initial visit unless medical condition warants it or HL detected
Hearing is normal in general - can wait to get it
Evidence of HL - this info is needed and need to test under earphones
when do you see startle responses
when the sound is suprathreshold
can you change the response criteria durig testing
no
can you get minimum response levels (MRLs) in BOA
yes
what is the dis of using Auro Palpebral & moro reflexes in BOA
Using auro-palpebral, moro reflexes, changes in limb movement or respiration are not elicited responses to threshold stimuli but suprathreshold stimuli instead
how do you maximize sucking responses in BOA
Infant is in a quiet, alert state
Hungry enough to have a strong sucking reflex but not hungry enough to be upset to participate
Ensure they are in a comfortable position
describe the protocol for BOA
infant comes in hungry state
seat them so torso is supported and they are not fidgety and so the tester can easily see the infant’s mouth
monitor their state during testing to test stimuli or responses from the child
instruct parents to not respond to stimuli or their child
assistant keeps infant visible, centered and monitors the parents behavior
begin testing in SF & w/ stimulus slightly above estimated threshold
test one low and one high then do the procedure next for which one
reduce thresholds in 10 dB and increae in 5-10 to bracket threshold. record response after 3
take breaks as need3d & calm infnant to increase test time
if SF indicates hL, test bc
if infant is still responding or at next session test with inserts
test with tech as needed
when should you use VRA
developmental ages 6-36 mos
what is VRA and what does it entail
Involves training an infant to make a conditioned head turn response to a test stimulus
Infant make a head turn in response to sounds and receives reinforcement.
Correct response is rewarded by activation of a light or lighted toy
The best reinforcers are novel and interesting
reinforcers for VRA
Speakers/reinforcers at 45 or 90 degrees
Best placed at the child’s ear level & 90 degrees to the side of the child
One or two?
They can perform with one side
Even if sound is presented to one side and they look to the other it still counts as a + response because they only have to detect the sound; NOT dependent on localization
Plexiglass boxes
Lighted toys htat can be lighted or animated
Monitors
Animated images
Cartoon video reinforcer
Older children or those not interested in the VRA toys
No sound
What distractors in VRA should be used
Quiet and simple but less interesting than the reinforcer toy
Colorful toys, puppets, finger toys, pieces that connect, magnets on a magnet board
Examiner can also make funny face
Let the child play with distractor only as a last resort!!
positioning for vra
High chair is preferred
Parent - do not react to any stimulus
what is the role of the in room examiner
Keep child in a listening posture and environment
Keep child busy with visual stimuli at midline
Do not talk or smile at infant unless a + response has been provided
Keep a quiet environment
Keep a rapport with parent
Parents
Don’t look at the reinforcement toy until the child does
Don’t change your body language when the sound is presented
Don’t alter the way you play with the toys when the sound is presented
Act deaf to the sound!
describe the training/conditioning phase
Start 100% reinforcement then slowly decrease to less frequent reinforcement
pairing phase is either simultaneous stimulus reinforcer pairing approach or response observation and shaping approach