Sixty children (1 20 ears) were evaluated using reflectometry, pure tones, immittance, otologic examination, and pure-tone air and bone conduction thresholds. Comparisons were made between the various screeners. Reflectometry was found to be the least sensitive and the least specific of the procedures. Results were then examined within each diagnostic category to determine test aggreement with the otologists' judgments. The reflectometer categorization was found to be inconsistent with the otologic findings. Finally, the reflectometer was compared to each of the other screener results and pure-tone thresholds. The test results were significantly correlated but showed high overand under-referral rates for the reflectometer. Seventy-eight children and adults (156 ears) were screened in a second study. Again, the acoustic reflectometer did not perform adequately as a general screening tool. When only cases of middle ear effusion were screened, the acoustic reflectometer did not perform as well as immitance.
Address reprint requests to Karen Buhrer, Ohio
The early detection of hearing impairments in infants is essential to the initiation of medical and educational services which will enhance optimal development of communication and social skills. Ohio has successfully implemented a legislatively mandated two-tiered Infant Hearing Screening and Assessment Program. This statewide screening program is in accordance with the child find and early intervention services requirements of P.L. 99-457.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.