Hearing screenings for preschool children: A comparison between whispered voice and pure tone audiogram tests. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Skoloudik, Lukas; Mejzlik, Jan; Janouch, Michal; Drsata, Jakub; Vodicka, Jan; Chrobok, Viktor
• Is Part Of: International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology. Volume 130(2020:Mar.)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Hearing screening -- Pure tone audiometry -- Whispered voice test -- Five-year old children; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Oto-rhino-laryngologie -- Périodiques; Pédiatrie -- Périodiques; 618.9209751
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2019.109798
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-5876

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: This prospective study compares the efficiency of two hearing screening tests performed on preschool children. These tests are known as whispered voice test and pure tone audiometry. Methods: Standard hearing screenings were performed on five-year old children using a whispered voice test followed by ENT examination with pure tone audiometry. Results: A total of 827 children were included in the study. Hearing loss (>25 dB) was observed in 5.8% of the evaluated children (n = 48), being bilateral in only 1.6% (n = 13) of these cases. Slight hearing impairment (hearing loss of 16–25 dB) was observed in 25.4% (n = 210) of the children, with 14.5% bilateral cases (n = 120). Interestingly, 62 children (7.5%) were under suspicion of hearing loss by their parents; however, an audiogram revealed the poor consistency of this diagnosis (sensitivity 20.8%, Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.048). The whispered voice test (6 m distance) throwed a hearing impairment diagnosis in 807 (48.8%) of examined ears; however, its sensitivity was of only 56.5%, with a specificity of 51.6% and Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.0254 (poor). Conclusion: The hearing loss incidence in preschool children coupled with the low efficacy of whispered voice tests and the parents' unreliability during the hearing impairment survey advocate for a more efficient audiometric hearing screening before beginning school attendance.