Pseudohypacusis Flashcards
1
Q
What are causes and maintaining factors of pseudohypacusis in children?
A
- School difficulties (i.e. low performance despite normal intelligence)
- Seeking attention
- Psychosocial problems (i.e. conflict at home/school/with friends, parental divorce, emotional problems)
- More common in girls (2:1)
2
Q
What are behavioral indicators of pseudohypacusis?
A
- Patient understands soft speech when speakers face is unseen
- Atypical behaviors (i.e. flat affect, argumentative)
- Comments about being confused
- Looking uncertain, concentrating strenuously
- Radiating cooperation
- Acting bored
3
Q
Describe clinical indicators of pseudohypacusis: pure tone audiometry.
A
- Inconsistent thresholds (greater than 5 dB retest)
- Slow, elaborate, or laborious responses
- Flat or saucer-shaped HL
- Absence of a shadow curve in severe unilateral HL, when good ear is unmasked
4
Q
Describe clinical indicators of pseudohypacusis: speech audiometry.
A
- SRT > PTA
- Half-word response during SRT
- Pressing earphone to ear
- Bizarre response or error of association
- Seemingly deliberate errors
- Rising inflection as if asking a question
- Exaggerated straining to understand during test
