Audiology in differential diagnosis audiology in differential diagnosis audiology in differential diagnosis

Inner ear malformations present primarily with auditory symptoms while vestibular malformations, though clinically significant, are under-recognized .The seminar aims to explore the correlation between functional assessments—specifically audiological and vestibular evaluations—and radiological findings in patients with inner ear malformations. Particular attention is given to discrepancies that may arise between clinical and imaging data, and how these mismatches can influence therapeutic decisions. Incomplete cochlear partitions, 8th cranial nerve dysplasia and enlarged vestibular aqueduct are some examples. Third window syndromes blur the line between congenital and acquired pathology. It highlights the complex interplay between hearing and balance dysfunction in the context of inner ear anomalies.

Compression remains one of the most critical yet debated aspects of hearing aid signal processing. While it restores audibility and dynamic range for soft sounds, inappropriate compression settings can introduce envelope distortion, reduce musical fidelity, and contribute to listening fatigue. This panel explores how compression parameters interact with perceptual and cognitive load across speech and music listening conditions.

recent psychoacoustic and physiological evidence suggests that auditory fatigue arises not only from cognitive effort but also from the temporal and spectral inconsistencies introduced by signal processing. Building on experimental findings comparing speech and music stimuli, the panel will highlight how the brain’s adaptive mechanisms respond differently to compressed speech versus complex musical sounds.

through a multidisciplinary lens—spanning auditory neuroscience, psychoacoustics, clinical audiology, and signal processing—the discussion will aim to bridge the gap between laboratory data and hearing aid fitting practices. The session will conclude with recommendations for evidence-based compression strategies that balance clarity, comfort, and naturalness in both communication and musical enjoyment.

I am prof. Hesham kozou, president of the egyptian audio-vestibular medicine association (EAVMA).

we propose to have a 60 min session as EAVMA with 5-6 talks about audio-vestibular medicine research and services in egypt.

This instructional course focuses on physiologic techniques, specifically auditory brainstem response (ABR) and auditory steady-state response (ASSR) for accurate auditory threshold estimation in infants and young children. Special attention will be paid to tone burst and chirp-evoked abrs, comparing their utility with standard click stimuli. The course will provide clinical decision-making strategies for choosing stimulus types, managing calibration issues, and integrating physiologic results with limited behavioral data. The session will conclude with a brief overview of behavioral estimation methods to highlight a multimodal approach.

learning objectives:

• differentiate between click, tone burst, and chirp stimuli in ABR and understand their use in frequency-specific threshold estimation.

• apply chirp ABR in clinical settings, especially in infants, considering calibration and latency differences.

• use ASSR as a complementary or alternative tool for auditory threshold estimation.

• integrate physiologic results with limited behavioral observations to guide diagnosis.

• apply decision making protocols in medically complex or time constrained pediatric cases.

course outline:

1.     introduction (2 min): importance of accurate auditory threshold estimation in pediatric diagnostics.

2.     stimulus comparisons in ABR (8 min): click vs. Tone burst vs. Chirp; frequency specificity, temporal synchrony, and recording efficiency.

3.     chirp ABR in practice (6 min): clinical benefits, limitations, calibration issues, and interpretation strategies.

4.     ASSR applications (5 min): role in bilateral threshold estimation, especially for profound hearing loss and auditory neuropathy.

5.     behavioral correlation (5 min): how to integrate physiologic data with behavioral responses like VRA and BOA.

6.     decision making algorithms (4 min): practical case based strategies and flowcharts for clinical use.

this instructional course focuses on physiologic techniques, specifically auditory brainstem response (ABR) and auditory steady-state response (ASSR) for accurate auditory threshold estimation in infants and young children. Special attention will be paid to tone burst and chirp-evoked abrs, comparing their utility with standard click stimuli. The course will provide clinical decision-making strategies for choosing stimulus types, managing calibration issues, and integrating physiologic results with limited behavioral data. The session will conclude with a brief overview of behavioral estimation methods to highlight a multimodal approach.

course outline

1.     introduction (2 min): importance of accurate auditory threshold estimation in pediatric diagnostics.

2.     stimulus comparisons in ABR (8 min): click vs. Tone burst vs. Chirp; frequency specificity, temporal synchrony, and recording efficiency.

3.     chirp ABR in practice (6 min): clinical benefits, limitations, calibration issues, and interpretation strategies.

4.     ASSR applications (5 min): role in bilateral threshold estimation, especially for profound hearing loss and auditory neuropathy.

5.     behavioral correlation (5 min): how to integrate physiologic data with behavioral responses like VRA and BOA.

6.     decision making algorithms (4 min): practical case based strategies and flowcharts for clinical use.