Acoustic impedance measurement in the otological assessment of multiply handicapped children.

This survey investigated the use of acoustic impedance measurement on a population of multiply handicapped children and correlated the results with otoscopy. Thirty-one children were tested with an impedance meter studying tympanometry, tympanic membrane compliance, and acoustic reflex. Otoscopic examination was also scheduled for each child. The results show that 42% of children tested had some kind of middle-ear problem, mostly unrecognized at the time of this survey. There was 100% agreement between impedance and otoscopic findings. Apparently impedance audiometry can be useful for identifying middle-ear disorders in children who cannot be tested by traditional audiometric methods.