Evaluating an Enigma: What People with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their Parents Would Like Audiologists to Know

ABSTRACT

Evaluating hearing in a person with an autism spectrum disorder can be a daunting task for the child, his or her parents, and the audiologist alike. This article, written from a parent's perspective, outlines features unique to the assessment of hearing in people who have autism. Practical suggestions for preparing for the assessment and for obtaining accurate audiometric data are offered. Considerations regarding unique characteristics of autism spectrum disorders in relation to audiologic evaluation are reported. The value of the observation of the audiologist and results of the audiologic evaluation in relation to the diagnosis of autism are discussed. This article also highlights special considerations related to treatment of hearing loss in relation to unique features of autism spectrum disorders. The goal is to provide the audiologist with awareness of the needs of people with autism spectrum disorders and provide preparation needed to assess hearing with this population.

KEYWORDS

Autism - parents - family - assessment