Figure 3.
An average hearing level between 0 and 20 dB is normal (green), 21-40 dB is a mild hearing loss (yellow), 41-
55 dB is a moderate loss (red), 56-70 dB is a moderately severe loss (blue), and 71 dB
or higher is a severe or profound loss (purple). A child with average hearing loss from MEE in both
ears (28 dB) would barely hear so speech, with some children barely aware of normal speech or a
baby crying.
Reproduced with permission: Rosenfeld RM. A Parent's Guide to Ear Tubes. Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: BC
Decker; 2005.
Figure 2. Decibels
Diagnosis
