The risk prediction model had accurate discrimination and satisfactory calibration. Validation results indicate that it may generalize well to new infants. The model could potentially be used in diagnostic and screening settings. In the context of screening, probabilities provide an intuitive and flexible mechanism for setting the referral threshold that is sensitive to the costs associated with true and false-positive outcomes. In a diagnostic setting, predictions could be used to supplement visual inspection of absorbance for individualized diagnoses. Further research assessing the performance and impact of the model in these contexts is warranted.

The 'fast' method for measuring psychophysical tuning curves (PTC) uses a masker that sweeps across frequency and a Békésy threshold tracking procedure. The fast-PTC procedure has been recommended as a technique for diagnosing cochlear dead regions in adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fast-PTC procedure in children. Twelve normal-hearing children (7-10 years old) and five adults were tested. The fast-PTCs were measured for 1000 and 4000 Hz signals using ascending and descending masker sweeps. Measurements were repeated on a separate day to assess test-retest variability. All children were able to perform the task; however it was possible to define the tip in only 87% of the fast-PTCs. Although the variability in tip frequency was higher for children, the mean difference between children and adults was not statistically significant. As expected, the difference on retest was higher for children. Studies investigating the use of the fast-PTC procedure with hearing-impaired children are warranted.

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The results of this study suggest that DRs can be detected in children using the fast-PTC technique and the TEN test interpreted with the adult criteria, which are the most appropriate in terms of specificity and sensitivity. However, in cases in which the masked threshold is 10 to 15 dB above the TEN level, it is recommended to confirm DR diagnosis with fast-PTC measurement.