What to Expect: Play Hearing Test – Glastonbury

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Here we go… for a play hearing test!

This picture story is for young children or older children who might have difficulty learning to raise their hand when they hear a sound. 

In a play hearing test, your child will put a toy into a bucket when he/she hears a sound. The sounds will get softer and softer as the test goes on, so your child will have to listen very carefully! Your child’s audiologist will work with your child to teach him/her how to do this. 

I am going to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Glastonbury to have a special test to see how well I can hear. 

We will go to the window to check in. Mom or Dad will tell the receptionist I am ready. I can color or play with some toys while I wait. I will only wait a few minutes. 

The audiologist will call my name. I will walk with her and my parent(s), back to a special room called a sound booth. 

This is what the sound booth looks like. I can sit in a chair by myself, or I can ask to sit with Mom or Dad. The audiologist will ask us questions about my ears. 

Next, the audiologist will get a flashlight called an otoscope. 

She will look in each of my ears with the light. This will not hurt. 

She will then take out a soft, colorful plug to put in my ear. It will make a humming sound. I can touch the colorful plug with my fingers before she puts it in my ear. While I listen, my ear will draw a picture on the computer. It may look like a mountain or a river! Then she will put the plug in the other ear. It will not hurt. 

Now it is time for my Play Hearing Test. I will wear special headphones or special earphones that look like earplugs. My audiologist will choose which headphone is best for me. I can touch them before the audiologist puts them on my ears. 

My audiologist will go into another room, but I will be able to see her through a window. I will hear her voice through the headphones. My parent(s) will stay in the room with me the whole time. 

The audiologist is going to say some words. I will repeat the word, or I will point to a picture of the word. Her voice will get softer and softer until it becomes a whisper. I will try my hardest to repeat the word or show her what I hear. 

Then, we will play a listening game. I will pick up a toy and listen for a noise. 

When I hear a noise I will put a toy into the bucket. I will listen very carefully to hear the noises; some of them will be very quiet. 

When I am done, my audiologist will come back into the room to take off the headphones. She might want me to play the same listening game with a special headband behind my ears. 

Again, I will pick up a toy and listen for a noise. When I hear a noise, I will put the toy into the bucket. I will listen very carefully to hear all of the noises. My audiologist will tell me when I am done and when I can take off the headband. Everyone will be very happy if I listen and follow directions. 

We may have to go into one more room to do a special test called an OAE. My audiologist will take out another soft plug to put in my ear. I will sit quietly and listen to some funny noises. It will not hurt. 

It is time to go. I might get to pick a sticker now! We may need to stop at the desk to make an appointment on our way out. My visit to Audiology is all done. Going to Audiology is not so hard. I know just what to do.