(1037) Impact of White Noice Machine Use on Sound Field Testing in the Pediatric Population

Introduction: In the pediatric population, white noise machines are commonly used by parents to aid with sleep induction. Few studies have examined the impact of routine white noise exposure on pediatric hearing. The present study aims to determine whether there is a correlation between white noise exposure and abnormal hearing findings in children undergoing visual reinforcement audiometry.

Methods: A cross-sectional single institution study was conducted on patients (age < 3 years) presenting to the department of otolaryngology or audiology who underwent visual reinforcement hearing evaluation. A brief survey was administered to each parent including questions on white noise exposure, frequency, and duration of usage. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed to determine the relationship between white noise exposure and abnormal hearing findings.

Results: Our study cohort included 35 patients, 25 of which were exposed to a white noise machine or fan during sleep (71%, 95% CI 54-85). Among those who used white noise machines or fans, 4 (16%) patients were found to have visual reinforcement audiometry findings outside of normal limits. Within this group, 2 (8%) patients had abnormal tympanograms and 2 (8%) had abnormal audiograms indicative of hearing loss. Correlational analyses determined that there was no significant relationship between white noise exposure and abnormal tympanogram or audiogram findings (p = 1). The average duration of usage was not significantly different between patients with normal and abnormal hearing results (7.5 vs. 6.1 hours, p = 0.61).

Conclusions: Prevalence of white noise exposure was found to be high in our study (71%), underlying the importance of developing evidence-based recommendations on usage in the pediatric population. Our preliminary results demonstrate that there is no significant correlation between white noise exposure and abnormal sound field testing. Further research must be conducted to evaluate long-term outcomes associated with white noise exposure.