The Mainz Audiometric Test for Children (MATCH) was originally developed for children aged 3-7 years and validated in quiet conditions. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to extend the MATCH to testing in noise, to establish normative data, and to validate the test under these conditions.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
The MATCH-in-noise test offers a validated, age-appropriate tool for assessing speech-in-noise perception in children aged 3–7; clinicians evaluating pediatric hearing in noisy conditions may consider adopting it once normative data are verified in their own population.
A validated speech-in-noise test for very young children fills a significant gap in pediatric audiology, where reliable tools for this age group are scarce.
- 01MATCH is a new audiometric speech-in-noise test designed for children aged 3–7 years.
- 02The study covers design, normalization, and validation of the test.
- 03Published in HNO (German-language audience primary; international relevance).
- 04Provides normative data enabling comparison of individual children to age-matched peers.
- 05Addresses a recognized gap: few validated speech-in-noise tests exist for this young age group.
The MATCH test is valid and reliable for assessing speech-in-noise perception in children aged 3–7 years.
studysupportedNormative data for MATCH adequately represent the target pediatric age range.
studysupported- PMID
- 42771167
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00106-026-01804-7.
- Journal
- HNO
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- Children aged 3–7 years undergoing audiometric testing
- Intervention
- Mainz Audiometric Test for Children (MATCH) in noise
Primary outcomes
Test validity; Normative data establishment; Test reliability across age subgroups