Hearing in Children is a new textbook of audiology, the first written specifically for the pediatric age group. Written by Jerry Northern, PhD, and Marion Downs, MA, audiologists in the Department of Otolaryngology of the University of Colorado, it is intended primarily for the audiologist, although it is presented as being useful to the physician as well. For the purposes of this review, it will be considered in terms of its usefulness to the practicing pediatrician.
There are several sections of the book, particularly the chapters on the development of auditory behavior, clinical audiologic testing, and hearing aids, that, while interesting to some pediatricians, are more useful to the clinical audiologist. Other chapters are important sources of information for the pediatrician, particularly the sections on audiologic screening and objective hearing tests, and, with one major reservation described below, the chapter on habilitation of the hearing-handicapped child.
Chapter 4, "Identification Audiometry