Ear disease and hearing sensitivity in mentally retarded children

A Framework for Healthcare Provision to Children with Intellectual Disability

“…Locomotor problems were found in 35% of the children in this study, compared to 17% in another study (Smith et al, 1969). Visual abnormalities in children with intellectual disability are well documented (Smith et al, 1969;Karjalainen et al, 1983). Hearing impairment was perhaps underestimated in this study when compared to other studies which used more sophisticated methods (Karjalainen et al, 1983).…”

“…Visual abnormalities in children with intellectual disability are well documented (Smith et al, 1969;Karjalainen et al, 1983). Hearing impairment was perhaps underestimated in this study when compared to other studies which used more sophisticated methods (Karjalainen et al, 1983). The requirements of physiotherapy and speech therapy are high when compared to a study done elsewhere (Smith et al, 1969).…”

Methods and Strategies for Audiological Assessment of Individuals Who Are Deaf-Blind with Developmental Disabilities

“…Given the higher incidence of conductive and middle ear pathology in many populations with disabilities, acoustic immittance measures are critical for identifying pathologies such as otitis media, ossicular fixation, and tympanic membrane perforation. [18][19][20][21] Acoustic immittance is recognized as the best, fastest, and least expensive method of objective measurement of the middle ear, cochlea, and retrocochlear pathways. 22 In our clinical experience, current technology used in acoustic immittance assessment provides reasonably accurate information even in the most difficult-to-test individuals.…”

“…Incidence of abnormal tympanograms is as high as 43% in developmentally disabled populations, with the highest incidence among those with craniofacial anomalies. [18][19][20][21] Compliance measures obtained during tympanometry can be helpful in identifying otosclerosis, cholesteatoma, otitis media, scarred or thickened tympanic membrane, and ossicular discontinuity. 23 Ear canal volume measurements are helpful in identifying stenosis, cerumen impaction, and tympanic membrane perforation.…”

“…Extensive studies have been performed to predict hearing sensitivity, especially in difficult-to-test populations. [18][19][20][21][22][23] Acoustic reflexes can be helpful in predicting the degree of sensorineural hearing loss, but not the audiometric configuration of the hearing loss. Acoustic reflexes present between 70 and 80 dB HL to pure tone stimuli probably rule out a significant degree of deafness.…”