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Behavioral Tests

Behavioral Tests

• Conventional Test Techniques
  These techniques are used with older children. A speech reception threshold (SRT) is obtained by asking patients to repeat familiar bisyllabic words (e.g. baseball) at gradually decreasing intensity (loudness) levels, until the level of the softest words that can be repeated is identified. Then pure tone audiometry begins. Patients are asked to push a button or raise their hand when a tone is heard. A pure tone audiogram is generated, which is a graph indicating thresholds at the various frequencies (pitches) tested, from low to high.
• Visual Reinforcement Audiometry
  This procedure is typically used for children in the 6 month to 2 1/2 year age range. With this technique, young children are taught to turn toward an animated toy every time they hear a sound. Since small children cannot repeat words, a speech awareness threshold (SAT) is determined by gradually decreasing intensity (loudness) levels of a speech signal, until the softest speech to which the child turns is identified. Then an audiogram is generated by observing the head turn response frequency-specific for certain pitches or sounds.
• Conditioned Play Audiometry
  This is the test of choice for children in the 2 - 5 year age range. Children are taught to perform a simple task (e.g., putting rings on a peg) every time they hear a sound. The goal is to obtain the same information as obtained with conventional test techniques described above, in a more motivating manner that holds the attention of small children.
• Speech Recognition Tests
  When hearing loss is present, it is important to determine how well the patient can understand speech. A variety of speech recognition tests are available for patients ranging from 3 years through adulthood.