Audio-Reflexometry in Testing Hearing of Very Young Children¹a

Abstract

Audio-reflexometry is a method of measuring the levels of hearing through the observation of involuntary reponses resulting from acoustic stimulation. The importance of reflexes in measuring hearing levels has been recognized by pediatricians, audiologists, and otologists. Pupilar responses, eye blinks, rolling of eyes, eyes opening wide, turning of head, Moro reflex and startle reflex have been considered as indicators of auditory responses.

The author, in a study of 124 children from the age of 1–24 months, found that head turning (in part) begins around the age of 2 months. The results and observations indicate that auditory responses could be considered fairly dependable around the age of 3–4 months. At the age of 6 months the responses are even ore dependable. The research also indicates that a meaningful stimulus such as the ‘baby cry test’ signal would serve as a better diagnostic stimulus than other stimuli testing hearing. However, factors such as (1) establishment of rapport, (2) age of the child, (3) acoustic characteristics of the signal, (4) testing environment, (5) instrumentation, (6) method of response, (7) time spent in testing, (8) physical condition of the child, (9) child's co-operativeness, and (10) the examiner's clinical experience, contribute to the validity of hearing thresholds, irrespective of the type of test used.

Key Words:

• Identification audiometry
• Moro reflex
• Auro-palpebral reflex
• Localization response to stimuli