Understand the disability and need for competent management.

Clapping of hands / rattle / bell and observing the child’s response is a very crude method and should never be resorted to as a reliable method of hearing test.

Evaluation of hearing can be done even in the newborn period. Various age appropriate computerized tests are available for child.

Evaluation of a pre - lingual child is a complex affair. There is no standard methodology available for evaluation.

The skill and experience of the examiner plays an important part in the proper evaluation and judgment. No single test is foolproof. The child has to be evaluated in totality.

A combination of OAE, Threshold BERA, Impedance, Free field and hearing aid trial is used to reach a conclusion.

Success rate varies with different tests and centres. There is failure to correct evaluation even in best of hands and centres.

Cure / compensate the hearing loss when present.

Hearing aid evaluation with a young, pre verbal [lingual] child is an ongoing process and that all recommendations are subject to modification as further information regarding the child’s hearing loss is obtained.

AVT [Auditory Verbal Therapy] to be actively pursued for habilitation post hearing aid fitting.