Hearing Disorders

Treatment of Children

The most important aspect of treatment of hearing loss in children is early detection. That is why every child that is born at Mayo Clinic hospitals is screened before being discharged.

It is important to identify and treat a hearing loss by the time a baby is six months old. When this happens, the child's language ability at the age of three will be nearly the same as that of a child with normal hearing. If treatment does not occur until after six months, the child's language skills at age three will be about half that of a child with normal hearing. Slow development of speech and language can lead to family difficulties as well as problems in school, both academically and socially.

Hearing Screening

Infant hearing screening consists of two tests: auditory brainstem response (ABR) and otoacoustic emission (OAE). Although neither test is an actual "hearing test," both may be used to gather information about a child's hearing. OAE confirms that sound gets to the inner ear, while ABR tracks the sound as it travels down the auditory pathway to the brain.

Older toddlers and infants who have a greater chance of hearing loss due to certain risk factors should be screened every 6 months until 3 years of age and, if necessary, at regular intervals thereafter.

Toddler hearing screening methods use behavioral techniques to determine the nature and degree of hearing impairment.

Children ages 6 months to two years are screened using visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA). During VRA, the child is trained to turn his/her head in the direction of the sound source by receiving a reward of lighting and/or activating an animated toy. Conditioned play audiometry (CPA) is used for children two to three years old. Children are trained to perform a play activity (such as dropping a block in a bucket) whenever they hear a sound. The threshold of hearing can then be determined by decreasing the intensity of the sounds.

Otitis Media

Otitis media, or inflammation of the middle ear, is the most common cause of hearing loss in children.

Otitis media occurs when the eustachian tube is blocked during a cold, allergy or upper respiratory infection. An infection can occur, leading to a build up of fluid behind the eardrum, which can affect hearing. Otitis media can be a serious condition because of the severe earache and hearing loss it can create. The infection can also spread to nearby structures in the head, such as the mastoid. If treated promptly and effectively, hearing can almost always be returned to normal.

Symptoms
Infants and toddlers: pulling or scratching at the ear, hearing problems, irritability, crying, fever, vomiting, ear drainage.

Young children: earache, feeling of fullness or pressure, hearing problems, dizziness, loss of balance, nausea, vomiting, fever, or ear drainage.

Most of the time otitis media clears up with proper medication and home treatment. Sometimes the eardrum needs to be pierced to drain the fluid and relieve pain. The incision heals within a few days with practically no scarring or injury to the eardrum. Sometimes a small plastic or metal ventilation tube is placed in the eardrum and remains in place for as long as required for the middle ear infection to improve and the eustachian tube to return to normal. This can take several weeks or months. The tube improves hearing and decreases the frequency of ear infections.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Some children can have sensorineural hearing loss caused by pre-natal infections, lack of oxygen during birth and genetic factors. Sensorineural hearing loss cannot be cured medically or surgically, but hearing aids and other amplifying systems can help children hear and develop speech and language.

Cochlear Implants

Some pediatric patients with hearing loss may be good candidates for cochlear implants; a cochlear implant is a prosthetic device that partially restores hearing function in people suffering severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss.

Treatment Team

Hearing disorders are treated by specialists in the Department of Otolaryngology and in the Audiology Section.

Appointments

For appointments or more information, call Audiology
at 507-284-2577 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central time Monday through Friday.