METHOD FOR EVALUATING HEARING FUNCTION IN EARLY AGE CHILDREN Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: medicine. SUBSTANCE: method involves observing hearing response of a child to irritating stimulus in parallel to determining hearing threshold according to age-specific reference values. States with inhibited and disinhibited hearing responses are recorded. The type of hearing response inhibition is determined in more precise terms, if it is more or less marked. The same is done in the cases of hearing response disinhibition as hyperacusia or inappropriate response to sound stimuli. Marked hearing response inhibition being observed, hearing disorders are predicted to take place, and the child is included into the high risk group with an advise to consult both surdologist and neuropathologist. The children with slight hearing response inhibition, hyperacusia or inappropriate response to sound stimuli are advised to be treated by neuropathologist with hearing function being controlled during the first year of life and to consult surdologist with hearing function being controlled during the first year of life and also visit the surdologist at the age of six months and one year. Dynamic changes in hearing function are to be followed and the values are used for predicting patient neurological status. The children having lowered hearing thresholds are sent for passing special examination for detecting hypoacusia. EFFECT: enhanced effectiveness in detecting the cases of hearing disorders at early stage. 5 tbl