Auditory threshold shift and the factor of age in deaf children

Abstract EN

Objective : To study the effect of age on auditory threshold shift among children in two schools for the deaf.

Design : Prospective.

Setting : Two schools for the hearing impaired children, one in a non-metropolitan and another in a metropolitan area.

Method : Three hundred and eight-five children with hearing level of 75 dB were audologicaly tested within three years.

The study was performed from January 2005 to June 2007.

Result : Pure tone audiogram showed 6-8 dB threshold shift in the metropolitan group of 234 children and 4 dB in the non-metropolitan group of 151 children.

In metropolitan school one hundred and forty-seven (62.8 %) were found to be hearing aid users and 42 (28 %) were in non-metropolitan school.

Conclusion : Threshold shift of 6-8 dB in the metropolitan group of 234 children and 4 dB threshold shift in the non-metropolitan group of 151 children was found.