Behavioral Audiological Evaluation

What is a Behavioral Audiological Evaluation?

A regular (behavioral) audiological evaluation measures degrees of hearing for different tones. This test is performed in a sound-treated room to find out whether your child can hear soft sounds at all of the important levels for hearing spoken words clearly.

How is the test performed?

The type of test will be chosen according to your child's age and abilities:

• Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) observes head-turning responses to sounds, rewarding the responses with a lighted toy. This type of behavioral audiometry is typically used for children ages 6 months to 2 years.

• Play Audiometry shows your child how to respond to sounds with a play task, such as placing a block in a bucket after hearing the sound. This type of behavioral audiometry is typically used for children above 2 years of age.

• Older children can respond to sounds during the test by raising a hand, pushing a button, or by verbally responding to each sound.