Hearing Evaluation
Audiological Assessments
A&A Audiology is a center of excellence specializing in comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for adults and children. A thorough diagnostic audiological evaluation is the first step if you suspect a hearing problem and essential before commencing habilitation. A comprehensive audiological evaluation at the A&A Audiology Clinic routinely includes otoscopy, air and bone conduction pure tone audiometry, full immittance testing to determine middle ear status, otoacoustic emissions (OAE), and thorough speech recognition measures, including speech-in-noise testing and/or screening for central involvement, to evaluate the presence, extent and nature of hearing loss.
Evaluation of hearing can take place at any age. Special testing techniques and tests are used to assess the hearing ability in a very young child. Following the testing, your audiologist will present the results of the testing and answer any questions you may have. The audiologist will also give you recommendations based on the evaluation. If the audiologist recommends hearing aids or other assistive device, he/she will recommend that you return for a hearing aid evaluation appointment.
Immittance Audiometry
Acoustic immittance measures provide diagnostic information regarding middle ear functioning and the integrity of the acoustic reflex pathway. Advanced measures such as Multifrequency tympanometry and absorbance/reflectance measures are performed as necessary to increase the diagnostic information regarding the status of the middle ear.
Otoacoustic Emmissions
Measurements of otoacoustic emissions assess the function of the outer hair cells in the cochlea and are a key test in differentiating between cochlear and purely retrocochlear disorder. This objective hearing test can help to determine if normal cochlear function exists even in difficult-to-test populations.
Diagnostic Services
Comprehensive Pediatric and Adult Audiological Assessment
A comprehensive audiological assessment is performed to determine the presence, type, configuration and severity of hearing impairment. In addition to routine audiometry, special testing is conducted such as immittance, otoacoustic emissions and speech-in-noise testing to provide recommendations as needed for medical intervention, further evaluation and/or avenues available to improve communication such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Vestibular Assessment
Vestibular services include a comprehensive battery of tests that are designed to evaluate a patient's balance system. Electronystagmography and videonystagmography are used to record and analyze eye movements that help us determine how well the balance system is working. Recordings of those eye movements will be made with electrodes taped around the eyes or by infrared goggles.
Electrophysiological Assessments
Our electrophysiology lab provides a variety of specialized diagnostic testing including electrocochleography, auditory brainstem response, middle latency response, late latency response, auditory steady-state response, stacked auditory brainstem response and vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials.
Auditory Processing Disorder Assessments
Auditory Processing Disorder assessments are available for children (seven years or older) and adults who may have an impaired ability to attend, discriminate, recognize or comprehend auditory information. Audiology-based assessments are combined with language assessments to gain a complete picture of auditory processing as part of our Language, Listening and Learning Program.
Electrophysiological Assessments
Electrophysiological measures, such as those procedures listed below, play an important role in the assessment of hearing in difficult to test populations, such as very young children, as well as in the differential diagnosis of cochlear versus retrocochlear disorders. These tests are considered objective in that a behavioral response is not required of the patient. Auditory evoked potentials are very small electrical voltage potentials originating from the brain. They are usually recorded from the scalp in response to an auditory stimulus (i.e., clicks, tones, speech sounds, etc.). Evoked potentials are typically recorded using small disk-like self-adhesive electrodes which are stuck on the head and face. The electrodes do not hurt, and they come off easily after completion of testing. A typical recording requires the placement of three or four electrodes. These tests require the use of highly sensitive amplifiers and computer averaging equipment.
Electrophysiological services available at A&A Audiology
Scheduling
To schedule an appointment, please contact the Clinic.
Additional Resources
Auditory Processing Disorder Assessment
What is an Auditory Processing Disorder?
Despite normal peripheral hearing sensitivity and intelligence, children and adults with auditory processing disorder (APD) have an inability or decreased ability to attend, discriminate, recognize or comprehend auditory information. Individuals with APD also have difficulty understanding speech in the presence of background noise, and following spoken instructions. Children with an auditory processing disorder often behave as if they have a hearing loss, and parents and teachers often complain that the child is ignoring them or not paying attention. When concerns exist, an APD evaluation can help to determine if there are medical aspects of the disorder that require treatment, to promote appropriate educational planning and to implement interventions such as environmental modifications, management strategies, auditory training, and/or FM assistive listening devices as necessary. Prerequisites for an APD evaluation include normal hearing sensitivity, normal cognitive abilities and a minimum age of nine years.
What is an APD evaluation?
Our goal is to provide a multidisciplinary approach to evaluating and managing auditory processing disorders. Therefore, a language assessment is recommended with a Speech-Language pathologist.
Tests from the following behavioral categories are included in the APD evaluation:
A&A HEARING AND BALANCE CLINIC IS LOCATED IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ. TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, CLICK HERE
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