How to Use Hearing Tests to Detect Autism

Children who have autism often have adequate gross hearing skills, while still not responding to their own names. Other children may have good hearing but do not speak in sentences or just mumble. A hearing test administered by a professional can rule out auditory dysfunction, while helping parents determine whether autism is a possibility.

Things You'll Need

• Medical records
• Pediatrician
• Hearing Specialist

Instructions

1. Study the generalized guidelines for speech development in small children. Not every child will begin to talk and communicate the same way at the same time. Your child may simply not be ready to communicate verbally at a certain age, so speak to your pediatrician before concluding he has autism.

2. Speak with your pediatrician before contacting a hearing specialist. Your pediatrician can conduct preliminary hearing tests before recommending a specialist to you.

3. Ask for the name of more than one specialist when you meet with your pediatrician. Specialists can take months to see you for an appointment, so having several options can help move the process along more quickly.

4. Seek a second opinion from another hearing specialist. Use the information from your pediatrician and your first specialist visit to talk with the doctor giving the second opinion.

5. Bring the results of all your child's hearing tests to a language or speech therapist. This specialist will not only be able to interpret the tests, but can also use the information to design a therapy plan for your child.

Tips & Warnings

• Obtain copies of your child's medical records from the pediatrician. You will want to bring these records to the specialist. These records should contain information regarding hearing tests conducted at birth and ear examinations or surgeries.

• Ask your pediatrician for information for more than one hearing or speech specialist. Since appointments may be hard to get, having names for several specialists can save you and your child time. You may also wish to get a second opinion from another practice.

• Ask to be present while the hearing tests to detect autism are being administered. Your child may find hearing tests to be scary. A child who is more comfortable will respond better to testing, offering more accurate results.

• If the results of a hearing test say your child has good hearing but is not responding to his name or speaking by a certain age, that does not mean he has autism. Having a hearing test is one of several indicators for autism, but is not a diagnosis. Speak with your doctor to determine your child's situation and proper diagnosis.