A New Test for Hearing in the New-Born

Abstract

In very young infants, all tests for hearing have been dependent on visible response of the baby to sounds. This response in the baby has, presumably, been dependent on the inherent fear of sudden or unusual sounds noted in practically all infants. This reaction usually consists in a sudden start of the entire body, a winking of the eye, a crying out, or a combinaion of these activities.Recently I was asked to pass on the ability of a baby to hear because she failed to respond to this stimulus of sudden noise. A few days previously I had examined this 3 months old baby at The Cradle in Evanston, from which institution she was to be adopted by a patient of mine. The baby appeared to be an exceptionally healthy, bright youngster free from all physical defects, and her mother had a negative Wassermann reaction in the blood. Following my recommendation she was taken into the family, but adoption papers were not immediately signed. After a few days' residence, the foster mother, who had previously adopted a normal boy now 4 years of age, reported that the new baby did not respond to noises as had her other child. She was sure that this baby was deaf, because she did not respond in any way when a door was slammed, when the hands were loudly clapped close by her head, or even when a dishpan at her ear was banged with a spoon. On examining the child in my office the next day, neither I nor a competent otolaryngologist, Dr. H. C. Ballenger, was able to elicit the slightest reaction to sound, though we tried all the different tests that we were able to make.The baby was returned to The Cradle for further observation. There she was seen by another ear specialist, Dr. Thomas Galloway, who also failed to get any response to sound. After a few days' observation, one or two of the nurses thought they had seen the baby start at sounds, and on one occasion when I clapped my hands when the infant was fast asleep, she moved her arms. Pending further developments, I advised that the adoption be delayed indefinitely. It was the opinion of all concerned, however, that the baby was probably not deaf. This was based on the apparent brightness of the child, the fact that she made the usual articulate sounds for her age, and the

Effects of Experience on the Behavior of the Young Infant

“…An interesting application of the classical conditioning technique may be found in an early study by Aldrich (1928), who sounded a small bell while stimulating the sole of an infant with a pin. After 12 to 15 paired presentations, Aldrich found that the sound of the bell was sufficient to elicit a response, thus providing evidence that the infant in question was not deaf.…”

Experimental studies of learning in infants and preschool children.

“…An experiment for the purpose of discovering whether or not a three-month-old infant was deaf was conducted by Aldrich (1). The ringing of a small dinner bell accompanied pin-scratching on the foot.…”

The Quest for Early Identification and Intervention

“…1972: New information that the application of high-risk data can increase the detectability of congenital hearing impairment compelled the committee to recommend that infants at risk of hearing impairment should be identified, tested, and followed up. 24 The risk factors were (1) 32 This statement concluded that universal screening should be implemented for all infants within the first 3 months of life, using both OAE and ABR screening. The Joint Committee then preceded to endorse an exemplary system of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI).…”