Which frequency is added specifically for 7th and 11th graders in the gold standard pure-tone screening?

Which frequency is added specifically for 7th and 11th graders in the gold standard pure-tone screening?

• A. 2 kHz
• B. 6 kHz
• C. 8 kHz
• D. 4 kHz

Answer: (B)

The added frequency is six kilohertz because high-frequency hearing loss from noise exposure tends to appear first in adolescence. In the standard school pure-tone screen, younger students are typically tested at 1, 2, and 4 kHz, but for seventh and eleventh graders, including a test at 6 kHz helps detect early cochlear damage that might not yet show at lower frequencies. 8 kHz is less stable and not as reliably measured in routine screening, and the core frequencies (2 and 4 kHz) are already covered. So, adding 6 kHz increases the screen’s sensitivity to early high-frequency losses in these grades.

The added frequency is six kilohertz because high-frequency hearing loss from noise exposure tends to appear first in adolescence. In the standard school pure-tone screen, younger students are typically tested at 1, 2, and 4 kHz, but for seventh and eleventh graders, including a test at 6 kHz helps detect early cochlear damage that might not yet show at lower frequencies. 8 kHz is less stable and not as reliably measured in routine screening, and the core frequencies (2 and 4 kHz) are already covered. So, adding 6 kHz increases the screen’s sensitivity to early high-frequency losses in these grades.