Head Start & School Screening

The Goals for School Hearing Screening

• To identify hearing loss that may influence communication, development, health or academic performance.
• To identify outer and middle ear disorders.

Advantages Of OAEs

• OAEs accomplish both goals of screening using only one test
• No response is required from the child. Pure tone audiometry requires a response e.g., raising a hand or dropping a block. Teaching a child to respond is often time consuming and difficult
• Testing can be performed on special-needs children
• School personnel can easily be trained to do OAE testing
• Easily screen children who speak English as a second language
• Screening can be done in less than half the time of traditional methods

What OAEs Can Tell Us

• A PASS indicates normal OAEs and this correlates with normal hearing and normal cochlear function
• A REFER means OAEs were not present and is suggestive of a possible hearing loss greater than 30 dB HL or an outer or middle ear disorder (e.g., otitis media)