The District 50 Hawaii Lions Hearing Screening For School-Age Children Program recommends annual hearing screening of students in grades K, 1 and 2.

Hearing Screening Stations

• All Grades:  Otoscopy and Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)
• If student does not Pass OAE:  Tympanometry and Pure Tone Audio. 

How to interpret the reports:
The screening procedures used are primarily designed to identify students who are in need for further audiological and/or medical attention. Parents/Guardians of students who fail the screening will be notified and given a copy of the referral form we have provided.

Generally, students who already have documented hearing loss and wear hearing aids, are currently under doctor’s care for ear problems or those with tubes are not screened.

For All Grades, each student is given an OTOSCOPIC inspection of the “Outer Ear” to detect potential problems such as Excessive Wax build-up, Foreign Objects, Perforations of the ear drum, bleeding, fluid drainage or the presence of tubes.

Next, Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) screening is utilized to determine the need for tympanometric and audiometric screening.  This procedure is similar to that utilized in the Statewide Newborn Hearing Screening Program.

If a student does not Pass the OAE screening, TYMPANOMETRIC screening is performed to test the mobility of the ear drum and measure air pressure in the “Middle Ear.” AUDIOMETRIC screening follows as we screen students with an audiometer using a 25 dB (decibel) pure tone at selected frequencies (2000 Hz and 4000 Hz). This provides a sample of the student’s ability to hear sounds at generally accepted intensity (loudness) levels and frequencies (pitches) in both ears.

For each student we provide the results of the screening procedures used as well as Recommendations based on the results.  It is strongly advised that parents follow through with the recommendations and that findings be completed by the healthcare provider and returned to the student’s school health record.

Reasons for Hearing Screening

The Lions Hearing Screening Program screens students for possible hearing problems and refers those students who may be in need of further audiological testing and/or medical evaluation to the appropriate health care provider for the following reasons:

1. Temporary hearing loss causes students to miss crucial instructions in the Classroom.
2. Parents may not be aware of a child’s mild hearing loss in every day situations.
3. Even mild hearing loss may interfere with learning new vocabulary, which is important for success in reading.

4. Hearing loss may be the cause of a child being blamed for “not paying attention.”
5. Hearing loss may be a sign of ear disease.
6. Children with even mild hearing loss or loss only in one ear may have difficulty in school.
7. The prevalence of hearing loss increases due to late-onset, late identified and acquired hearing loss.
8. A condition such as otitis media with effusion (OME) is more prevalent in children up to 7 years of age.

We feel it is important to a child’s success in school and hearing health to participate in the hearing screening program provided at no charge.  We encourage you to take advantage of the District 50 Hawaii Lions Hearing Screening Program for School-age Children that is provided as a community service.  This program is a signature project of the District 50 Hawaii Lions and continues to receive requests for this service by many public, private and Charter schools throughout the state.