THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TEST OF SPEECH RECEPTION DISABILITY FOR USE IN 5-YEAR-OLD TO 8-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN WITH OTITIS-MEDIA WITH EFFUSION

The study aims to develop a test of speech reception disability under simulated classroom conditions for use in young (5-8 year old) schoolc hildren, to manage children with otitis media with effusion more effec tively. A new video test, TADAST (Two Alternative Auditory Disability and Speech Reception Test), has been constructed in stages by extensiv ely modifying the FADAST (Four Alternative) currently used to assess a uditory disability in adults. Minimal word pair lists which were easil y identifiable in picture form were developed and refined, and then fo rmulated as a two alternative forced choice picture test. The distribu tion characteristics of the new test were defined in 89 schoolchildren with and without otitis media with effusion (OME) and compared with p ure-tone audiometry performed at the same time. The test correlated hi ghly with audiometry in older children. The distribution characteristi cs revealed a considerable proportion of children with bilateral OME w ith little functional disability who might otherwise be al risk of sur gery. The test appeared to be sensitive to a 'history of OME' effect. Further refinements are needed to develop a final version which could also be used to evaluate hearing disability in 4-year-old children.