Which screening test for hearing can be administered by a nurse to a 5-year-old child?

Which screening test for hearing can be administered by a nurse to a 5-year-old child?

• A. Pure tone audiometry
• B. Tympanometry
• C. Otoacoustic emissions
• D. Speech recognition threshold test

Answer: (A)

A quick behavioral hearing screen for a school-age child is pure-tone audiometry, and it’s suitable for a nurse to perform with basic training using a portable audiometer. In this test, the child listens for tones presented at several frequencies (typically around 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz) and signals when they hear them. This directly checks whether the child can hear everyday sounds, making it an efficient first-pass screen to identify possible hearing loss that needs further evaluation. Tympanometry measures middle-ear pressure and mobility, not hearing thresholds, and requires specialized equipment and interpretation, so it’s not a direct hearing screen. Otoacoustic emissions involve cochlear function and need specific probes and setup, usually handled by technicians or audiologists. The speech recognition threshold test assesses the child's ability to understand and repeat speech, which can be more time-consuming and language-dependent, making it less practical as a quick nurse-administered screen.

A quick behavioral hearing screen for a school-age child is pure-tone audiometry, and it’s suitable for a nurse to perform with basic training using a portable audiometer. In this test, the child listens for tones presented at several frequencies (typically around 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz) and signals when they hear them. This directly checks whether the child can hear everyday sounds, making it an efficient first-pass screen to identify possible hearing loss that needs further evaluation.

Tympanometry measures middle-ear pressure and mobility, not hearing thresholds, and requires specialized equipment and interpretation, so it’s not a direct hearing screen. Otoacoustic emissions involve cochlear function and need specific probes and setup, usually handled by technicians or audiologists. The speech recognition threshold test assesses the child's ability to understand and repeat speech, which can be more time-consuming and language-dependent, making it less practical as a quick nurse-administered screen.