Audiometry and tympanometry in children throughout one school year.
One hundred children had audiometry and tympanometry testing every two to three weeks throughout 38 weeks of a school year. The results showed an average prevalence of some abnormality in 62% and that the abnormal group was constantly changing. Abnormal episodes had a median duration of three to four weeks and a mean of six weeks. Thirty-nine percent of the children had more than one episode. Comparisons were made between the different measures of hearing and middle-ear function and between these and educational tests of intelligence, language and school achievement. Educational deficit was related most closely to total decibel loss. Four screening models were designed to allow economical use of testers' time. Resultant test patterns were related to two to three week testing and to educational test results. The closest correlation with educational test results proved to be an audiogram pass/fail screen each school term.
D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D001299:Audiometry; D002648:Child; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000503:physiopathology; D004521:Educational Measurement; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies