EDUCATIONAL AUDIOLOGY

Educational Audiologists are specialists involved in the study of normal and impaired hearing, identification and assessment of hearing problems, rehabilitation of hearing impairments, use of assisstive hearing technology, and the prevention of hearing loss. The Educational Audiologist understands school-based issues and practices and can assist the school team in understanding the link between hearing, language, and learning. Educational Audiology services are required by IDEIA for a child with a hearing disability. Only an Educational Audiologist can determine the need for and fit FM systems.

Clermont County ESC contracts with Hearing, Speech and Deaf Center for the services of an audiologist.

THE AUDIOGRAM

The audiogram is a graph showing the results of the pure-tone hearing tests. It illustrates the type, degree, and configuration of hearing loss.

The frequency or pitch of the sound is referred to in Hertz (Hz). The intensity or loudness of the sound is measured in decibels (dB). The responses are recorded on a chart called an audiogram that shows intensity levels for each frequency tested.

PITCH OR FREQUENCY

Each vertical line from left to right represents a pitch, or frequency, in Hertz (Hz). The graph starts with the lowest pitches on the left side and moves to the very highest pitches (frequencies) tested on the right side. The range of frequencies tested by the audiologist are 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 3000Hz, 4000 Hz, and 8000 Hz.

Examples of sounds in everyday life that would be considered “low-frequency” are a bass drum, tuba, and vowel sounds such as “oo” in “who.”

Examples of sounds in everyday life that would be considered “high-frequency” are a bird chirping, a triangle being played, and the consonant sound “s” as in “sun.”

LOUDNESS OR INTENSITY

Each horizontal line on the audiogram from top to bottom represents loudness or intensity in units of decibels (dB). Lines at the top of the chart (-10 dB and 0 dB) represent soft sounds. Lines at the bottom of the chart represent very loud sounds.

Examples of sounds in everyday life that would be considered soft are a clock ticking, a voice whispering, and leaves rustling.

Examples of sounds in everyday life that would be considered loud are a lawnmower, a car horn, and a rock concert.

If we were to compare “normal conversational loudness level” (typically 60 dB) with whispering (typically 30 dB), we’d say that whispering is softer than conversation.

On the audiogram, the pattern of hearing loss (configuration) and degree are recorded. For example, your hearing might be normal in the low pitches while you have hearing loss in high pitches. In this case, you might hear speech, but it would sound muffled and unclear. If you have hearing loss at all pitches, you might have difficulty hearing any speech.

The audiologist uses a red O to indicate the right ear and a blue X to record the left ear. The farther down the audiogram the Xs and Os appear, the worse the hearing.

_______________________________________________________________

For more information contact:

Jade Stanford, Special Education Supervisor/Consultant

P-513-735-8329