Tympanometry

Tympanometry can help to diagnose disorders that can lead to hearing loss, especially in children, for example, the presence of fluid in the middle ear, a middle ear infection, a hole in the eardrum, or Eustachian tube dysfunction. The test measures the movement of the Tympanic membrane in response to changes in pressure. The Tympanic membrane is a thin tissue that separates the middle and outer segments of the ear.

Tympanometry is not uncomfortable and shouldn’t cause any pain, a small probe is put into each ear. A small device attached to the probe will push air into the ear and the person testing will see a graph on the device called a Tympanogram.

Oto Acoustic Emissions

These are sounds given off by the inner ear when responding to a sound. There are hair cells in the inner ear that respond to sound by vibrating. The Vibration produces a very quiet sound that echoes back into the middle ear. A small probe is placed in the child’s ear this probe delivers a sound stimulus into the ear. The cochlea responds by producing an otoacoustic emission sometimes described as an echo that travels back through the middle ear to the ear canal and is then analysed by the screening unit.

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry

This test is typically performed on children under three. By using visual reinforcers the child is engaged in the hearing test.

Behavioural Audiometry

The child raises a hand or presses a button in response to the sound stimulus.