A hearing test detects hearing problems by playing sounds through headphones at varying volumes. Further tests are performed if problems are found. Auditory brainstem response audiometry can be used for infants and the mentally handicapped. More complex tests are given to those with suspected hearing impairment.
A hearing test is a test of an individual’s hearing used to detect hearing problems. An auditory test may also be referred to as an audio discrimination test; such tests test an individual’s ability to distinguish between the location and magnitude of sounds, as well as the simple ability to perceive sound. Hearing tests are often administered regularly throughout elementary school to check children for hearing problems. After that point, people rarely do such tests unless they have reason to believe they have some type of hearing problem.
Generally, a hearing test is administered to an individual in the form of small sounds, such as clicks or beeps, that are played through headphones at varying volumes. The individual is asked to indicate, verbally or through some gesture, that he has heard a sound. Typically they are also asked to indicate where exactly the sound is coming from; this helps determine the precise nature of a given hearing problem. Further tests are performed or recommended if the initial hearing test indicates hearing problems. If the test is administered at school, a specialist usually takes over if problems are found.
Hearing tests can also be administered to people who are unable to tell whether or not they heard a sound, such as infants and the mentally handicapped. This can be done through auditory brainstem response audiometry or brainstem evoked response audiometry. Small sounds in the form of clicks or beeps are produced, as with almost all other hearing tests. The brain’s response is measured through electrodes that are attached to an individual’s scalp and earlobes and possibly other locations on the head. The procedure is completely safe and painless and has been shown to be a very effective way of finding hearing problems in children.
A more complex hearing test is usually given to people who are suspected of having some form of hearing impairment. These tests often focus on the ability to discriminate, remember and understand sounds. Words are commonly used for this purpose; similar words, such as coast and roast will be presented to an individual to see if he can tell them apart. Other words are given in sequence to test whether the individual is able to recall the auditory stimuli. There is no single form of hearing testing that can completely distinguish all problems, but when administered in the right combinations, hearing tests can generally detect any hearing problem.
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