Objective tinnitus in children.
OBJECTIVE
To discuss the various symptoms and causes of objective tinnitus in children.


METHODS
Retrospective case review.


METHODS
Five children who had audible signals emanating from their ears caused by audible spontaneous otoacoustic emissions, palatal myoclonus, arteriovenous malformation, and acoustic trauma.


METHODS
The tinnitus reported by the patients was linked to acoustic signals that could be measured objectively or heard by the examiner.


RESULTS
Four of the five children had essentially normal hearing. The one child who demonstrated a hearing loss audiometrically was thought to have normal hearing sensitivity, but his intense roaring objective tinnitus appeared to mask his low-frequency thresholds. All five patients had measurable acoustic signals in the ear canal that matched the patients' descriptions of their tinnitus.


CONCLUSIONS
The cases illustrate how the objective tinnitus was diagnosed and measured, how a treatment algorithm was applied, and the expected results of treatment. In addition, the cases provide support for the use of psychologic counseling throughout the examination and treatment of objective tinnitus in children.
Fritsch
M H
MH
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5230, USA.
Wynne
M K
MK
Matt
B H
BH
Smith
W L
WL
Smith
C M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D000465:Algorithms; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology