Pre-K Nurses HelP!!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Hi!

I feel like I'm helpless around here lol.

I posted about HHV equipment.. because I was wanting new equipment. Turns out I need a new audiometer because mine stopped working mid screen yesterday.

I am Pre-K Only. Ages 3-5 year olds. Some are SPED kiddos. I need an audiometer that kiddos can follow the right prompts. The one I currently have plays a tape that says "show me the fire truck, show me the hotdog, etc" ..I'm not sure if some of these kids would be able to just raise their hand when they hear the beep.

Soooo does anyone have any recommendations on an audiometer?? I really want the Maico Pilot Test Audiometer (states specifically that it's ideal for kiddos 2- up), but my student services people that control the budget want me to pick a second option. I just wanted to see if anyone had a good recommendation!!

Thanks!!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I really don't have a recommendation for a different audiometer. I use an ANCIENT hand held audiometer. Unfortunately there is no way my district could afford a Pilot Test.

But just putting this out there that you can be successful screening pre-K kiddos with a regular audiometer if you incorporate some "play audiometry" techniques. My preschool has 43% SPED population and I only have to refer about 12 % of my total population for further testing.

Here is an example of play audiometry with a preschooler:

I use counting bears from Amazon and it is a hit with the littles.

I really hope you get your pilot but if you get an audiometer that is not so "little friendly" just know there are options for you to try to use! ?

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I don't have a recommendation of audiometer. I don't conduct our vision/hearing tests--we bring someone in to do these. For our 3-5 year olds they either do the play audiometry like @mainecoonRN92 linked, or they'll jump every time there's a beep or they'll say (mostly scream) "beep."

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56 minutes ago, BiscuitRN said:

they'll jump every time there's a beep or they'll say (mostly scream) "beep."

Yes! I have them say beep and it works wonders!

Another thing that I do is ask the PreK teachers to condition them during circle time. I found a youtube video that has examples of the exact beeps heard from the audiometers, they'll practice as a whole group and pull the kiddos who need a little extra help in small groups. If I have good teachers that understand how much of an impact conditioning can make and truly work with the kids to condition them, I'm able to get results from about 95% of the kiddos (there are always those super young or autistic kiddos that have trouble regardless). This year, I had one teacher that hasn't quite bought into the idea of conditioning, so shocker, the majority of my unable to screen kiddos are hers.

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Specializes in 12 years as a school nurse.
On 2/11/2020 at 9:35 AM, mainecoonRN92 said:

I use counting bears from Amazon and it is a hit with the littles.

I really hope you get your pilot but if you get an audiometer that is not so "little friendly" just know there are options for you to try to use! ?

I'm in the same boat here. I tell the preschoolers and younger elementary students they we are going to play a listening game. I use a "Barrel of monkeys" and just set the monkeys out on the table, tell the preschoolers that we're playing a game where all my monkeys got out of their barrel and they will help me by putting one back in every time they hear a beep. When all the monkeys are back in their barrel, the game is over. I find that at his age the kids are very honest, If they miss a beep, and I ask them about it they will say whether they heard it or not.

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