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AUDIOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS
Assessment of the auditory system begins with the outer ear, middle ear
and inner ear - or the "peripheral hearing". These peripheral hearing tests can be performed separate
from the CAP battery on any child who is at least 3 years of age.
CAP EVALUATIONS
CAP
evaluations can be performed on children age 7 and older. CAP screenings can be performed on children as young
as 5 years old. Note: CAP screenings can point to a possible auditory weakness, but they are not diagnostic.
Complete hearing evaluations are performed prior to the CAP testing in order to verify normal hearing. The
behavioral CAP battery (that is, the part that requires your child to respond) consists of many tests of recordings of degraded
speech, overlapping speech, speech in noise and tonal sequencing. They tax different processes of the auditory
system, revealing possible break-downs. It is important that your child be well-rested prior to the date of the testing.
During the test session, your child will be given breaks. A new assessment tool is now available: the Listening
in Spatialized Noise - Sentences (LiSN-S) test. This assesses how well a child understands speech in four different
listening conditions, and is very helpful in specifying an area of auditory breakdown (should one exist). The LiSN-S
can be performed on children aged 6 years 2 months to 11 years 10 months. Norms for older children and adults are expected
in the near future. In addition to the above tests that require your child to respond and repeat what they hear,
there are also electrophysiologic tests, which do not require your child to actively participate. These objective
tests are: Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), BioMARK ( click here to read more about BioMARK testing), auditory Middle Latency Response (MLR) and P-300. These tests are sometimes performed in addition to the behavioral
CAP battery and cost additional. Electrophysiologic test results provide objective data regarding the neural integrity
of your child's hearing, both in the brainstem and cortex. For these non-invasive tests, children wear electrodes which
pick up their "brain waves" and send them to a computer to be analyzed. Typically, after your
child is tested, results are reviewed with you. Recommendations specific to your child will be made and a report will
be mailed to you and anyone else you so designate.
CAP THERAPY
Remediation
is another service offered at Central Pathways. Should a CAP deficit (CAPD) be identified, therapy is tailored
to your child's needs and lasts 50 minutes/session. Parental involvement in performing some auditory exercises at home
is strongly encouraged.
All services rendered are to be paid at the time of service. Insurance
is not billed, although your receipt will contain all the information your health insurance company will need to process a
claim. Central Pathways operates as a self-pay establishment.
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