Prevent Hearing Loss in Children by Administering the OAE Test

Having children who are healthy and in accordance with their growth is certainly the dream of every parent. No parent wants their child to be born with a physical deficiency.

Particularly if vital senses, such as hearing, are impaired. This is the importance of conducting an EOA test on children, namely to prevent interference with the function of the sense of hearing. What is EOA and what is the function of the test ?

EOA, Efforts to Prevent Hearing Loss in Children

Babies born with high risk, such as babies with low birth weight, lack of oxygen levels (called perinatal asphyxia), and hyperbilirubinemia, have a chance of suffering from poor hearing in about 2-4 out of 100 babies.

Deterioration of hearing function from birth can cause disturbances in speech, language, and cognitive development.

Therefore, deterioration of hearing function in infants should be identified early so that medical personnel or families can take action for the development of the sensor system.

Currently, there are many cases of babies with undetected hearing loss. As a result, the medical team must intervene in screening to ensure that this does not occur.

Currently, there is a fast and inexpensive tool for conducting hearing tests on infants and children, namely Otoacoustic Emission (OAE).

What is Otoacoustic Emission (OAE)

OAE is a hearing screening to assess the sensitivity of hair cells found in the cochlea (cochlea). Its main purpose is to determine the status of the cochlea, especially the function of its hair cells. Information from the results of this OAE test can be used to:

1. Check the condition of the sense of hearing, especially in newborns, infants, or people with developmental disabilities.
2. Estimating hearing sensitivity within a limited range

To perform this test, the doctor or medical personnel will use a headset-shaped device that can measure sound vibrations in the ear canal. Broadly speaking, OAE works as both a stimulant and a receiver. Sound stimuli that radiate through the headset are then captured by the hair cells after previously vibrating the eardrum and through the ossicles. Stimuli that are caught by these hair cells then produce vibrations that are again captured by the receiver on the OAE device. After the vibration is received, it can be decided whether the cochlea is functioning properly or not. This conclusion is drawn based on the accepted amplitude difference.

Types of Examination Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)

In the OAE examination, the medical officer puts a type of small earphone into the baby or child's ear for a few seconds. OAE screeners are usually equipped with mini speakers and microphones that are made of soft materials and are harmless to children. The speaker will deliver sound stimulation to the ear canal, and the cochlea will respond. After that, the response will be detected by the microphone, and the results can be seen on the screener.

There are four types of OAE examinations in children that you can do in the medical world, namely:

1. Transient Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs). In this examination, the emitted sound is a response to acoustic stimuli and is heard for a very short duration. Sound stimulation can be a clicking sound or a burst tone.
2. DPOAEs are Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions.In this test, sound is emitted in response to 2 tones that are played consecutively at different frequencies.
3. Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). Sound stimuli are emitted by OAE without an acoustic stimulus but spontaneously.
4. Transient otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs). The sound emitted by the OAE transmitter is a response to a continuous tone.

You need to have an otoacoustic emission (OAE) check as early as possible, even when the baby is born. With this examination, you can detect early symptoms or signs of hearing loss in children. The OAE examination can be done in a hospital that has complete facilities.

The initial examination of this OAE test is to check using four different frequencies, namely 2000 Hz, 3000 Hz, 4000 Hz, and 5000 Hz. The inspection is carried out in a special room that meets the standards for the use of sound with a frequency above 40 decibels, which is measured by the sound level meter.

Babies born at high risk of failing their first hearing test need to have a second screening at least one month later. Infants who fail these screening tests should undergo initial rehabilitation. This rehabilitation is expected to provide benefits from the development of the sensory system.

Pregnancy efforts can also be made by keeping the pregnancy as healthy as possible. During the growth period of the fetus in the womb, the mother can do several things, such as controlling the delivery according to a schedule throughout the pregnancy. Pregnant women also need to do a TORCHS examination and should avoid using drugs that are toxic to the baby's ears, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The OAE test in children is very important because, if left unchecked, they grow up with undetectable hearing loss. If this happens, the risk of impaired speech ability in children will be higher. Early prevention will certainly help children to grow up perfectly healthy in all of their senses. Prevent the risk of hearing loss in children by doing OAE tests early on.

Consult directly with an ENT specialist at the hospital. The closest Hermina or Hermina's friends can also consult online with a hospital specialist. Hermina with the application "Hello Hermina."