ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the main tests that are available, when the tests may be indicated, how they are interpreted and the clinical information that they can yield. Standard procedures are available for many of these tests at the British Society of Audiology website. Visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) is a conditioned behavioural assessment employed widely across paediatric audiology to assess hearing levels in infants. The VRA paradigm allows air and bone conduction assessment via soundfield speakers, headphone, insert earphone and bone conduction presentation. Insert earphones/headphones are required to gain ear specific information, as soundfield presentation via speakers represents hearing from the ‘better ear’ with both ears working together. Tympanometry is useful for investigating the mobility and integrity of the eardrum. For example, the test can be used to obtain more information about a conductive hearing loss, equivocal bone conduction audiometry and audiograms, without bone conduction results.
