If you or your child has been referred for a diagnostic audiologic evaluation, it means that hearing loss needs to be ruled out or further examined. The diagnostic audiologic evaluation may be necessary for individuals who did not pass an initial hearing screening.

The evaluation is completed to determine if a hearing loss is present, and if so, to detail the type and severity of the hearing loss. It also may provide insight to the cause of the hearing loss, as well as provide guidance for the audiologist in making appropriate treatment recommendations.

Diagnostic Tests Available

The specific tests done during the evaluation will depend on the patient’s age, and what is known already about their hearing status. These various tests will determine the degree of hearing loss, the type of hearing loss, and the conditions of the ear canal and middle ear. The audiologist will also determine if the hearing loss is conductive (middle or outer ear problem) or sensorineural (inner ear problem or central processing difficulty of the brain).

Diagnostic Tests may include:

Pure tone audiometry
Speech audiometry
Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) screening
Tympanometry
Visual reinforcement audiometry
Conditioned play audiometry