Pediatrics

We provide a child-friendly approach to the comprehensive evaluation and treatment of infants and children.

Let our team of highly trained doctors take special care of all members of your family.

Children need to get their hearing checked, too!

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) endorses a preventative care approach and recommends that all children have their hearing checked at birth and again at ages 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 and at least three times during their teens.

The goal of routine screening is to identify any hearing loss that may require treatment and to begin intervention as quickly as possible to minimize the impact on your child’s cognitive, educational, and social development.

If your pediatrician’s office doesn’t provide routine hearing screenings, ask for a referral to Capital Institute of Hearing & Balance and let our team of highly trained doctors take special care of all members of your family.

Reasons your child might be referred to an audiologist

Chronic ear infections

Learning disabilities

Medical conditions and other risk factors associated with progressive hearing loss

Parental hearing concerns or self-reported hearing problems
Did not pass a hearing screen at school or during a routine physical
Noise trauma
Delayed developmental milestones
Family history of childhood hearing loss
Speech problems

Ringing or other noises in the ears
(see tinnitus)

How do we test hearing in young children?

We use many of the same tests (see Diagnostic Evaluation) that we use on adults but modify them based on your child’s age and developmental abilities.

Some common test modifications include:

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA):
A method of performing pure-tone audiometry where your child turns their head towards the beeps and they receive a visual reward, such as a toy animal moving.

Conditioned Play Audiometry:
A method of performing pure-tone audiometry where your child is taught to play a game, such as putting a toy in a bucket, every time they hear a beep

Get your child’s hearing evaluated today!