Assessment of Audiological Findings and Neurodevelopmental Characteristics in Children with Suspected Hearing Loss: Preliminary Results

Meryem Mutlu¹, İbrahim Özcan ²

1 : Kayseri Şehir Hastanesi Odyoloji Bölümü

2: Kayseri Şehir Hastanesi Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Kulak Burun Boğaz Anabilim Dalı

Background: In children, the suspicion of hearing loss can also arise from various different etiologies. Therefore, it is important to evaluate not only hearing, but also otherdevelopmental characteristics

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationshipbetween audiological findings and neurodevelopmentalcharacteristics.

Method: The study included children aged 2-7 years whopresented to the Kayseri City Hospital ENT outpatient clinicwith suspected hearing loss. Children who passed the newbornhearing screening test for the audiological evaluation, age-appropriate hearing tests were performed for each child. Theseincluded diagnostic ABR, transient evoked otoacousticemissions (TEOAEs), tympanometry, sound-field testing, andlanguage development tests. Neurodevelopmental outcomeswere also evaluated.

Results: According to the audiological test battery, hearingwas within normal limits in the vast majority of cases. Amongchildren with normal hearing who presented with suspectedhearing loss, the most frequently encountered conditions werediagnoses within the autism spectrum. Daily screen exposureaveraged approximately 4.6 hours/day, and approximately halfof the children reported screen exposure of 4 hours or moreper day.

Conclusion: Based on the data currently obtained from ourpatients (56 patients), our study shows that the vast majorityof children who passed newborn hearing screening but laterpresented to the clinic with suspected hearing loss in childhood do not have an actual hearing loss, and that theirsymptoms may be more attributable to neurodevelopmentalproblems.

Keywords: Hearing loss, Autism, ADHD, Delayed speech, screen exposure, Neurodevelopment.

Children with minimal-to-mild hearing loss often present unique diagnostic and management challenges, yet timely intervention is critical for speech-language development and academic success. This session will provide an evidence-based framework for evaluating minimal hearing loss in pediatric patients, covering audiological monitoring, functional assessment tools, and classroom listening considerations.

the presentation will highlight when to recommend amplification, how to balance audiometric thresholds with functional listening needs, and how to involve families and educators in decision-making. Evidence on hearing aid benefits, real-ear verification strategies, and long-term outcomes will be discussed. Special attention will be given to borderline cases and fluctuating or progressive losses.

Beyond speech perception: auditory localization and spatial hearing in hearing aid users