The School Clinician, trained at the Manila Hearing Aid Center by Board Member Dr. Jose F. Abano, ENT/Audiologist,

listed a number of Hearing Evaluation Procedures as a requirement for admission of students.  The Otoscope Exam helps to assess the condition of the external auditory canal (EAC), tympanic membrane (TM), and the middle ear. Mastering the Otoscope Exam leads to accurate diagnoses, allowing for targeted treatment and prevention of complications.

Pure-Tone Testing, with the use of an Audiometer, we put earphones on a patient/student, and request to raise hand whenever hearing the “beep”.  It is also called Air Conduction Testing since the sounds go through one’s outer and middle ear.  This test helps find the quietest sound one can hear at different pitches, or frequencies.  Having earphones on, lets the sound go to one ear at a time.  Testing Young Children – Young children sometimes do better if they play games.  We sometimes use also the Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) – where we teach the child to look to where the sound came from.  When the child/student looks in the direction of the sound, they see a moving toy or flashing light.  This rewards the child for looking out for the sound.  Both ears are tested at the same time;  and the Conditioned Play Audiometry  (CPA) – for toddlers and pre-schoolers, ages 2-5, the child will do something each time

he hears a sound.  He may put a block in a box, put pegs in a hole, or put a ring in a cone.  This type of testing is good.

Most of our students are required to do these Pre-Admission Tests, in addition to submitting the child’s previous Audio- logical Assessment.  The School’s Assessment is compared with the results of the student’s previous report, and thereon, subjected to annual checks.  We partner with Hearing Aid Centers where we refer students for further evaluation and fitting of hearing aids.  Should a case necessitates an ENT consultation/treatment, two members of the School Board

are ENTs – Dr. Gil M. Vicente of St Luke’s Hospital and Dr. Norberto V. Martinez of UST Hospital.