Pure tone audiometry in children

Abstract

Our purpose was to evaluate performance of the children on pure tone audiometry (PTA), and role of age, concentration level (CL) and otitis media with effusion (OME) in testing process. This study was prospectively performed on 100 consecutive children referred for PTA between 24 and 120 months of age. After the audiologists' decision on test technique, the followings were noted: CL (by using a visual analog scale), test duration, test convenience (TC) and the problems (interruption, delay, crying) during the test. By using pure tone averages (PTAv), mean hearing level (MHL) and mean gap (MG) were calculated. PTA was achieved in 90% of the children and PTAv of bone and air conduction in the both ears were obtained in 86% (play audiometry with earphones (PAE): 73%, conventional audiometry (CA): 22%). These ratios were not different between the children with and without OME. About 55% of the younger children than 36 months were failed in PTA, while this ratio was 4.5% in the children between 36 and 120 months. Only difference between PAE and CA tests was in MHL. In OME group, only TC was found to be lower. Correlation analysis showed that CL was correlated with age. Test duration was correlated with MG and MHL, but found to be dependent on only MG. Further, it was found that test choice of the audiologist was correlated with age and CL, but dependent on only CL. PTA is available in children depending on their age and particularly CL; hence, performance in PTA is directly related with audiologists' assessment the children and cooperation before starting the test. Meanwhile, test duration appears to be directly associated with the work on detection of the gap between air and bone conduction thresholds.