Vision and Hearing Screening Summary
Printer-Friendly Version (PDF: 59KB/1 page)Online Training Modules:
Access the Hearing and Vision Screening modules by going to the C&TC E-Learning Training Programs
Vision Screening Procedures
- History (all ages)
- External Inspection (all ages)
- Retinal (Red Light) Reflex (0-3yrs)
- Pupillary Response (0-3yrs)
- Observation (all ages)
- Corneal Light Reflex (2 months and older)
- Cross Cover (age 4 months to 8 years)
- Extra-ocular Movements (ages 4 month to 8 yrs)
Vision History
- Suspicion of visual problems: behaviors such as squinting, head tilt, blinking or complaints of sensitivity to light, frequent headaches
- Family history of significant visual problems in early childhood, especially before school entry
- Observable problems or abnormalities with the eye such as: unusual eye structures, any redness or drainage, eyes that appear or function differently from one another, eye crossing or eyes that drift from position, etc.
Recommended Ages: Early Childhood Screening and Grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 10
Equipment Needed
Charts: LEA/HOTV or Snellen/Sloan, Color Book (Ishihara or others)
Eye Occluder or modified sunglasses, an Ophthalmoscope, penlight,
small toys or other objects for the child to focus on.
Comprehensive Hearing Screening Program Components
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Family and Inidual History
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Visual Inspection: External Structures and Internal (via Otoscopic exam)
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Tympanometry or Pneumatic Otoscopy (if no tympanometer)
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Puretone Audiometer for children 3 years and older
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Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) or Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) for children birth to 3 yrs and Puretone Audiometry for ages 3yrs and older
Hearing History
- Family history of permanent hearing loss
- Caregiver concern
- Infections during the mother’s pregnancy (e.g. cytomegalovirus, herpes, toxoplasmosis, Rubella)
- Premature newborn NICU experience > 5 days, ECMO
- Neurodegenerative disorders
- Severe jaundice
- Exposure to ototoxic medications
- Chemotherapy
- Stigmata or other sign of a syndrome associated with permanent hearing loss
- History of significant head trauma with skull fracture (particularly in the temporal region)
- Hospitalization with a serious illness (such as culture positive meningitis, varicella, herpes)
- Cranial-facial anomalies, malformations of the outer or inner ear structures
Recommended Ages: Annually birth - 5 yrs, Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11
Equipment Needed
Otoscope with insufflator bulb
Tympanometer
Puretone Audiometer (with small toy for Play Audiometry) for ages 3yrs and older
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) or Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) for children birth to 3 years old
