[Evoked otoacoustic emissions in school children].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this work was to determine the usefulness of evoked otoacoustic emissions (OEAE) as a screening method for the diagnosis of hearing loss in schoolchildren.


METHODS
To this end and by using this method, we have studied 1,202 ears of 616 children in the 1st and 2nd grades of elementary school with a mean age of 6.2 years. The equipment employed was an Otodynamic Analyzer (ILO 88) by Otodynamics, Ltd and the program ILO 88, version 3.94.


RESULTS
The results were OEAE positive in 1,041 ears (86.6% passed the test) and OEAE negative in 161 ears (13.4% failed the test). We have determined the percentiles of all the parameters of the test and of the responses in order to establish the normal values in this age group.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of the OEAE for the detection of hearing loss should not be restricted to newborns. The OEAE can also be used as an auditive screening test in schoolchildren.
Mir Plana
B
B
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia.
Sequí Canet
J M
JM
Paredes Cencillo
C
C
Brines Solanes
J
J
Caballero Mallea
J
J
Marco Algarra
J
J
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D002648:Child; D003051:Cochlea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male