Operating Instructions MI 34 / MI 34 H
GEBAmi34e.11a.docx
39
850 232/14 08/11
10 How to test children
The practice of the impedance measurement is difficult especially with small
children. You could have problems with the child being restless or afraid of
the examination or reacting sensitively to the change of pressure and the
loud test sound but also with different conditions of the eardrum and the
middle ear which do not appear in ears of adults.
During the measurement the minimum compliance must come to 0.08 ml,
if it is less a straight line runs over the zero line.
It is difficult to reach a probe seal with restless children. If the child yawns
or cries it is impossible for the instrument to create a stable pressure in the
outer auditory canal. In addition speaking causes stapedius muscle reflexes
which lead to a permanent change of the compliance of the eardrum.
So the child should be made familiar with the surroundings and the ear
being touched by the probe in order to carry out a successful impedance
measurement. This could be done by getting in touch with the child and by
touching the ear in a playing way with the probe. If you can touch the ear
without problems the child will normally accept the probe being inserted.
If the child has accepted the surroundings and the touch of the ear it is
important to distract the child’s mind from the measurement. Here you can
succeed in diverting the child by many different methods. Your phantasy is
nearly unlimited; you just have to avoid loud sound.
In case you measure very small children and have to calm them with e.g. a
dummy or a tea-bottle the result might be slightly falsified, maybe by a
slightly irregular line of the Tympanogram.
