Hearing and Balance Evaluations

The goal of a hearing test is to determine an individuals hearing ability across all audio frequencies. The ability to hear a wide-range of frequencies is needed to clearly hear speech and environmental sounds. A variety of hearing tests are available based on the patient's individual developmental age and capability.

VRA (Visual Reinforcement Audiometry)

This form of testing is typically used with very young children (6 months - 2.5 years). The child sits with a parent or caregiver in the test booth. A variety of sounds are presented. When the child turns towards the sound they are rewarded with a brief view of a toy and lights.

CPA (Conditioned Play Audiometry)

This form of testing is used with preschool aged children. The child sits at a table with a testing assistant. They are taught to do an activity (such as drop a peg in a bucket or place a peg on a pegboard) when they hear a tone.

Conventional Audiometry

This form of testing can be used with children once they reach school age. This testing is what most adults remember from hearing tests when they were children. The patient is instructed to raise their hand or push the button when they hear a tone.

ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response)

This for of testing is used when the child is unable to participate in any of the above testing methods due to age or developmental delays. The child is asleep for this testing: natural sleep if under 6 months of age or with sedation if older. Electrodes are placed on the child's head to read neurologic responses to tones presented through earphones

Other Tests Often Included in Hearing Evaluations

Immittance  (Tympanometry and / or Acoustic Reflexes) Looks at the functioning of the middle ear


Otoacoustic Emissions Looks at the functioning of the inner ear


Speech Testing

Threshold: How softly can the patient hear speech
Recognition: How clearly can the patient hear speech

Hearing Aids

The best hearing aids go far beyond amplification to make lost sounds audible again.

The latest hearing aids connect to smartphones, TVs and more - providing audio streaming from countless devices. They also make hands-free calls possible. Rechargeable options make using a hearing aid even more hassle free.

Hearing aids are recommended for an individual with hearing loss to stimulate the auditory pathway and keep the nerve and brain tissue functioning allowing the patient to maintain access to sounds, music and speech/language.

Pediatric Hearing Aids:

Phonak SkyTM - Hearing aids for infants, toddlers, school-age children and teens, Phonak Sky enables children to build strong bonds by offering clear, rich sound and access to more words and conversations every day. These close relationships are essential for a child's social, emotional and cognitive development.

Roger Technology - It is important for all children to hear well at school, especially those with hearing difficulties. The Roger line of microphones provides children with the clarity they need to participate fully in dynamic environments, such as classrooms. The Roger line can help children hear teachers, classmates and even stream multimedia presentations. It's important to hear well at school, and with Roger for education there is a solution for every situation.

Adult Hearing Aids

Receiver-the-Ear (RIC) hearing aids have a receiver that goes in the ear canal and a piece that goes behind the ear. These can be fit with custom c-shells or with a small open or vented domes for a non-custom fit. These have connectivity to android or iPhone technology and allow for streaming podcasts, music and phone calls and can be connected to computers for zoom meetings.

Custom hearing aids that are completely-in-the-canal (CIC) and/or In-the-Ear (ITE) can provide universal connectivity to keep up to date with a busy life. Custom hearing aids connect to smartphones, TV and FM technologies.

Power Behind-The-Ear (BTE) hearing aids are appropriate for severe to profound hearing loss. They provide the power to increase access to sound for the deaf and hard of hearing and can increase the quality of everyday life. If a patient no longer obtains benefits from hearing aids they may be a candidate for a cochlear implant.

Cochlear Implants

The benefits of cochlear implants are numerous and adults often immediately benefit. According to the FDA, Most patients report hearing loud, medium and soft sounds.

Hear all the little things in life from footsteps and the ringing of the telephone to the whistling of a tea kettle and the sound of rustling leaves.

Strickland Ear Clinic offers comprehensive services to evaluate and make referrals to neuro-otologists for children and adults to receive cochlear implant devices. Cochlear implantation is one of the most innovative treatment options available for a child and/or and adult with profound deafness or hearing loss.

To become a candidate for cochlear implantation, a child/adult is assessed by a team of specialists including audiologists, otolaryngologists, sometimes called ENT's (for ears, nose and throat specialists).Tests include high resolution scans to examine the structure of the ear, extensive hearing evaluations, and evaluations by a variety of other specialists such as a psychologist, geneticist, speech-language
pathologist and surgeon.

If the evaluation suggests cochlear implantation surgery is the appropriate treatment for a child and/or an adult, Dr. Strickland will make an appropriate referral for a neuro-otolaryngologist surgeon and will provide the activation of the cochlear implant device as well as supervise a thorough follow-up program
of support for the child and family. The program provides guidelines and support for teachers and other educational personnel who work with the child on a regular basis.

What is Auditory-Verbal Therapy?

Auditory-Verbal Therapy is a specialized type of therapy designed to teach a child to use the hearing provided by a hearing aid or a cochlear implant for understanding speech and learning to talk. The child is taught to develop hearing as an active sense so that listening becomes automatic and the child seeks out sounds in life. Hearing and active listening become an integral part of communication, recreating, socialization, education and work.

The philosophy of Auditory-Verbal Therapy (AVT) is for deaf and hard of hearing children to grow up in a regular learning environment, enabling them to become independent, participating and contributing citizens in the mainstream society.

AVT is a parent-centered approach that encourages the use of naturalistic conversation and the use of spoken language to communicate.

AVT is an approach that emphasizes the use of residual hearing to help children learn to listen, process verbal language and to speak.

AVT maximizes the use of the child's aided residual hearing for the detection of sound.

AVT is based on teaching parents, during their child's individual therapy sessions to emphasize residual hearing and interact with their child using the auditory-verbal approach.

AVT encourages interaction and mainstreaming children from the beginning with normal-hearing peers.

Participation in playgroups, library hours, and attendance in community schools can provide children highly motivating natural language models.

AVT teaches the child to develop self monitoring skills.

The child learns to listen to his/her own voice as well as to others during natural conversations thereby promoting natural quality.

AVT follows a logical and critical set of guiding principles. The parent, therapist and child engage in play activities that teach the child to use his or her amplified residual hearing to learn auditory-verbal communication like children with normal hearing.

Bonebridge

Bonebridge uses bone conduction, which means that instead of sending sound through the ear canal, it sends sound through the skull to the inner ear. This makes it an ideal hearing solution for patients with conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss and single-sided deafness.

Tinnitus

Do you (or a loved one) experience ringing in your ears that no one else can hear? If so, you are not alone. You have tinnitus, an audiological and neurological condition experienced by nearly 50 million Americans.

Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no actual external noise is present. While it is commonly referred to as "ringing in the ears," tinnitus can manifest many different perceptions of sound, including buzzing, hissing, whistling, swooshing and clicking. In some rare cases tinnitus patients report hearing music. Tinnitus can be both an acute (temporary) condition or a chronic (ongoing) health malady.

Millions of Americans experience tinnitus, often to a debilitating degree, making it one of the most common health conditions in the country. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 15% of the general public--over 50 million Americans--experience some form of tinnitus. Roughly 20 million people struggle with burdensome chronic tinnitus, while 2 million have extreme and debilitating cases.

Tinnitus can be managed with hearing aids when accompanied by hearing loss; hearing aids can reduce the loudness of the tinnitus and allow individuals to focus on the conversation around them rather than the noise in their ear.

Custom Ear Molds

Trust your hearing to custom earmolds, not disposable foam earplugs

From hunting and music to swimming and more, custom earmolds protect your hearing without bulky headphones. Work and play without damaging your hearing.

The following medical diagnosis and individuals may find custom ear molds very helpful: sensory hyperacusis, hearing aids, pilots, hunters, police/security.

The following medical diagnosis and individuals may find custom ear molds very helpful: sensory hyperacusis, hearing aids, pilots, hunters, police/security.

Enjoy concerts and crowds again

From professional musicians to audience members, custom earmolds create more pleasurable experiences. It's all about the attenuation characteristics of earmolds. In other words, how loud can it be while your custom earmolds remain protective of your hearing? Hearing aid users also love our custom earmolds.

Say goodbye to ear pain and swimmer's ear

Kids and adults know earaches hurt! If you or your child suffer from ear problems, you already know nothing ruins an afternoon of swimming faster than water in the ears. Does your child currently have tubes in his or her ears? We can help with that too!

An impression of your ear canal and concha area is taken, making it (of course!) unique to you. Because there are many types of custom earmolds including skeleton, semi-skeleton and half-shell and various types of earmold locks, you'll want an experienced practitioner working with you. Patients fly-in from all over the U.S. to meet with Dr. Strickland. Contact us for your no-obligation consultation.