ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of head positions on high frequency tympanometry (HFT) results obtained from neonates. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study to compare HFT results obtained from neonates in two head positions (face sideways and face up). STUDY SAMPLE: One hundred and fifty-seven neonates (80 female, 77 male; mean age = 48.3 ± 26.7 hours) participated. RESULTS: The mean uncompensated admittance at 200 daPa obtained in the face sideways position was significantly greater than that obtained in the face up position (1.02 versus 0.96 mmho). A significant ear effect for baseline compensated admittance was found (right/left = 0.64/0.53 mmho). However, there were no significant main effects for head positions for the tympanometric peak pressure, baseline compensated static admittance, and component compensated static admittance measures, indicating that these measures are resilient to head positions. CONCLUSION: These findings support the use of HFT normative values regardless of the two head positions investigated in the present study.
