Is there a clinical application for tablet-based automated audiometry in children?

Olivia Pereira; Lauren E Pasko; Jenna Supinski; Mackenzie Hammond; Thierry Morlet; Kyoko Nagao

doi:10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.04.029

Is there a clinical application for tablet-based automated audiometry in children?

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2018 Jul:110:87-92. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.04.029. Epub 2018 May 3.

Authors

Olivia Pereira¹, Lauren E Pasko², Jenna Supinski³, Mackenzie Hammond⁴, Thierry Morlet⁵, Kyoko Nagao⁶

Affiliations

¹ Center for Pediatric Auditory and Speech Sciences, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Rd., Wilmington, DE 19803, USA. Electronic address: Olivia.Pereira@nemours.org.
² Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware, 125 E. Main St., Newark, DE 19716, USA. Electronic address: lpasko@udel.edu.
³ School of Health Science and Human Performance, Ithaca College, 953 Danby Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850, USA. Electronic address: jsupinski@ithica.edu.
⁴ Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, West Chester University, 700 S. High St., West Chester, PA 19383, USA. Electronic address: MH827958@wcupa.edu.
⁵ Center for Pediatric Auditory and Speech Sciences, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Rd., Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware, 125 E. Main St., Newark, DE 19716, USA; Georges Osborne College of Audiology, Salus University, 8360 Old York Rd., Elkins Park, PA 19027, USA. Electronic address: Thierry.Morlet@nemours.org.
⁶ Center for Pediatric Auditory and Speech Sciences, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Rd., Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware, 125 E. Main St., Newark, DE 19716, USA; Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, 540 S. College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19713, USA. Electronic address: kyoko.nagao@nemours.org.

PMID: 29859595
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.04.029

Abstract

Introduction: Recent research supports the clinical use of automated audiometry for pediatric hearing screenings. However, very few studies have tested whether tablet-based automated audiometry can offer a valid alternative to traditional manual audiometry for estimation of hearing thresholds in children. This study examined the validity and efficiency of automated audiometry in school-aged children.

Methods: Hearing thresholds for 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 kHz were collected in 32 children ages 6-12 years using standard audiometry and tablet-based automated audiometry in a soundproof booth. Test administration time, test preference, and medical history were also collected.

Results: Results exhibited that the majority (67%) of threshold differences between automated and standard were within the clinically acceptable range (10 dB). The threshold difference between the two tests showed that automated audiometry thresholds were higher by 12 dB in 6-year-olds, 7 dB in 7- to 9-year-olds, and 3 dB in 10- to 12-year-olds. In addition, test administration times were similar, such that standard audiometry took an average of 12.3 min and automated audiometry took 11.9 min.

Conclusions: These results support the use of tablet-based automated audiometry in children from ages 7-12 years. However, the results suggest that the clinical use of at least some types of tablet-based automated audiometry may not be feasible in children 6 years of age.

Keywords: Children; Hearing loss; Hearing screening; Pure tone audiogram; Tablet-based audiometry.

MeSH terms

Audiometry, Pure-Tone / instrumentation
Audiometry, Pure-Tone / methods*
Auditory Threshold
Child
Computers, Handheld
Female
Hearing
Hearing Disorders / diagnosis*
Humans
Male
Mobile Applications*
Time Factors