Are any additional tests done during a pediatric hearing evaluation?
A thorough diagnostic test also includes an evaluation of the middle-ear system. The middle ear is the space behind the eardrum and is a common site for ear infections in children. A tympanogram is a measure of the compliance of the middle-ear system mobility (including the eardrum) and is an objective method for confirming abnormalities of the eardrum or middle ear space, such as • fluid behind the eardrum, • a hole or perforation of the eardrum, or • stiffness of eardrum or middle-ear bones (for example, otosclerosis). The tympanogram is completed by inserting a probe in the ear and creating a vacuum-tight seal. The air pressure is changed in the ear canal from positive to negative, and the movement of the eardrum is recorded. The amount and shape of the movement can either exclude or signify different problems, as previously listed. The test is fast, objective, and is not painful (although sometimes the insertion of the probe may upset children). When a loud sound is presented to a
