Accoustic immitance measures in infants with 226 and 1000 hz probes: correlation with otoacoustic emissions and otoscopy examination

Audiological evaluation in infants should include the middle ear (immitance measures and otoscopy) and also a cochlear evaluation. Aim: To check which tympanometry tone test (226 Hz or 1000 Hz), transient otoacoustic emissions and otoscopy. Methods: Transient otoacoustic emissions were taken from sixty infants ranging from zero to four months of age. The babies were assigned to two groups of 30 infants each, according to the presence or absence of otoacoustic emissions (OAE). All babies have undergone tympanometry with probe tones of 226 and 1000 Hz and ENT evaluation. Results: Tests performed with 1000 Hz probe tone were more sensitive in identifying middle ear disorders. In children with normal tympanograms, both probe tones (226 and 1000 Hz) showed high specificity. All correlations were significant when the 1000 Hz probe tone was used. Conclusion: The high frequency probe tone (1000 Hz) presented the most significant correlation with OAE and otoscopy in infants from zero to four months of age.