Lesson 1Speech audiometry in paediatric patients: SRT, word recognition, age-appropriate materials, signal-to-noise testingCovers paediatric speech audiometry, including SRT, speech detection, and word recognition using age-appropriate materials. Addresses presentation level, masking, and speech-in-noise tests to evaluate functional communication in real-world settings.
Choosing SRT versus SDT in young childrenSelecting age-appropriate word listsLive voice versus recorded speech signalsMasking rules for speech audiometryPediatric speech-in-noise test optionsLesson 2Comprehensive case history: prenatal, perinatal, developmental, infection and ototoxic exposure questionsDetails systematic paediatric case history taking, including prenatal, perinatal, and developmental risk factors. Addresses infections, ototoxic medications, noise exposure, and family history, integrating findings into differential diagnosis and test planning.
Prenatal and perinatal risk factor questionsDevelopmental milestones and speech historyInfection, ototoxic drug, and NICU exposureFamily history of hearing loss and syndromesSummarizing risks to guide test selectionLesson 3Parent and child interview techniques and functional hearing questionnairesFocuses on building rapport with parents and children, structuring interviews, and using validated functional hearing questionnaires. Highlights strategies to elicit reliable information on listening behaviours at home, school, and in noisy settings.
Preparing the room and greeting familiesOpen and closed questions for caregiversAge-appropriate child interview strategiesSelecting functional hearing questionnairesScoring and interpreting questionnaire resultsLesson 4Otoscopy: visualisation techniques, identifying cerumen, TM changes, retraction, perforationReviews paediatric otoscopy techniques, including safe speculum insertion, positioning, and lighting. Trains clinicians to recognise cerumen, tympanic membrane colour and landmarks, retraction, perforation, and signs requiring urgent medical referral.
Preparing the child and caregiver for otoscopySpeculum size, bracing, and safety tipsNormal tympanic membrane landmarksRecognizing cerumen, effusion, and retractionPerforations and red flags for referralLesson 5Test environment and paediatric test accommodations: managing attention, fatigue, scheduling, and breaksDescribes optimal paediatric test environments, including noise control, child-friendly rooms, and flexible scheduling. Covers strategies to manage attention, fatigue, anxiety, and the use of breaks or multiple sessions to maintain valid test results.
Room setup and ambient noise controlScheduling around naps, meals, and schoolManaging attention, motivation, and anxietyUse of breaks, reinforcement, and rewardsPlanning multi-session test batteriesLesson 6Acoustic reflex testing: ipsilateral and contralateral reflexes, reflex decay, clinical interpretationExplains acoustic reflex testing in children, including probe placement, stimulus selection, and measurement of ipsilateral and contralateral reflexes. Emphasises reflex decay, artefact recognition, and integrating results with tympanometry and audiometry.
Probe fit and baseline tympanogram reviewChoosing stimulus frequencies and levelsIpsilateral versus contralateral reflex patternsReflex decay procedures and interpretationClinical case integration and documentationLesson 7Behavioural audiometry for school-age children: conditioned play audiometry (CPA) adaptations, instructions, reinforcement schedulesExplores behavioural audiometry methods for school-age children, focusing on conditioned play audiometry and conventional techniques. Discusses instructions, reinforcement schedules, and adapting tasks for attention, developmental level, and behaviour.
Selecting CPA versus conventional audiometryDesigning engaging play-based response tasksGiving clear, age-appropriate instructionsReinforcement schedules and token systemsManaging inconsistent or false-positive responsesLesson 8Documentation and report writing: clear, actionable reports for families and multidisciplinary teamsGuides clinicians in writing clear, family-centred paediatric audiology reports. Emphasises plain language, visual summaries, and actionable recommendations for home, school, and medical teams, while meeting legal and documentation standards.
Essential elements of pediatric reportsWriting in clear, family-friendly languageSummarizing audiologic findings and impactEducational and medical recommendationsTemplates, checklists, and legal standardsLesson 9Pure-tone audiometry procedures: transducer selection (earphones vs speakers), masking rules, threshold definitionExplains paediatric pure-tone audiometry setup, including transducer choice, ear-specific testing, and child-friendly instructions. Reviews threshold search methods, masking rules, and reliability checks to obtain accurate air and bone conduction data.
Choosing earphones, inserts, or sound fieldConditioning children to the listening taskModified Hughson–Westlake threshold methodWhen and how to apply masking in pediatricsAssessing reliability and repeating doubtful dataLesson 10Tympanometry: types (1, 2, 3, Ad, As), probe selection, interpreting results by ageCovers paediatric tympanometry types, probe tone selection by age, and correct seal techniques. Emphasises interpreting tympanograms and ear canal volume in infants and children, linking patterns to middle ear status and referral decisions.
Jerger tympanogram types I, II, III, Ad, As226 vs 1000 Hz probe tones in infantsEar canal volume and seal quality checksInterpreting compliance, pressure, and gradientClinical case examples and documentation
