HearPlay™ App

An audiometric testing app created by an audiologist for audiologists

The HearPlay™ App is a suite of fun and engaging interactive tools that audiologists can use to make hearing tests a better experience for young patients (2 ½ - 5 years) and those with developmental delays. Children enjoy the engaging visuals on the iPad, while audiologists benefit form a more streamlined and efficient assessment process.

HearPlay was designed by a Children’s Mercy audiologist that saw how difficult it was to engage young patients and was determined to find a better way to conduct hearing tests.

HearPlay offers an intuitive platform equipped to support a range of pediatric hearing assessments, including:

Speech awareness test (SAT)
Speech reception threshold (SRT)
Conditioned play audiometry (CPA)
World Intelligibility by Picture Identification (WIPI) test

HearPlay features and benefits

Efficient Setup and Seamless Connectivity
HearPlay runs on iPadOS 12.1 or later and uses per-to-peer Bluetooth for quick pairing. No Wi-Fi needed. Designed for simplicity, it’s ready to go in just a few taps.

Optimized for Clinical Efficiency
Whether working solo or with a second audiologist, HearPlay adapts to your setup and can reduce staffing needs without compromising care.

Enhanced Patient Experience
With vibrant visuals and a child-friendly interface, HearPlay transforms traditional hearing assessments into a more engaging, less intimidating experience, improving cooperation and satisfaction among young patients.

HearPlay screen that reads, "Please select a HearPlay test" and gives five options: Twelve Image SRT, Nine Image SRT, Speech Awareness Test, CPA Scenes, and End Test Session.

HearPlay screen showing the activity log and patient screen for the twelve image speech reception threshold (SRT).

HearPlay screen with 12 images: a hot dog, a rainbow, an ice cream cone, a cupcake, a toothbrush, a bag of popcorn, an airplane, a high chair, a stack of pancakes, a baseball, a cowboy and a snowman.

HearPlay screen that reads, "Select CPA Scene" and shows eight scenes to choose from: Shapes, Underwater, Space, Woodlands, Dinosaurs, Monsters, Farm and Zoo.

HearPlay screen showing the activity log and items for CPA scenes.

HearPlay screen with 4 illustrated dinosaurs and a volcano erupting in the background.

Reviews of the HearPlay app

“I LOVE this app! I have used it several times. I recently had to test a child with multiple special needs and he was super motivated by the iPad. When I said, ‘Let’s go play with the iPad,’ he jumped right up and went in the sound booth. He didn’t get upset when he had to put his iPad down. I showed him my iPad and he followed me right into the booth. After we were done doing SRTs, he signed more … because he wanted to do more! We got the best hearing test on him yet! He loved the diversity of the scenes. They totally kept him motivated.

I also was able to use it with a 4-year-old with no other audiologist present. She picked up the task quickly and stayed engaged the whole time. I conducted a whole hearing test. And, it is quicker to conduct than CPA, no toys to drop or throw on the floor. Kids know how to use it intuitively.

Plus, sanitizing is much quicker than conventional CPA. Just clean the screen and you are ready to go for the next patient.”

Lisa Butler, MA, CCC-A
Pediatric Audiologist

How HearPlay works

About the Innovator Sherry Ralston, AuD

Dr. Ralston worked as a pediatric audiologist at Children’s Mercy Kansas City for over 15 years. She developed HearPlay, a modern clinical tool, and tested it with children and audiologists to refine its design. She holds an AuD from A.T. Still University and an MA from Indiana University. A member of the American Academy of Audiology, she presented her early work on HearPlay at their annual convention (Ralston, 2020).

Purchase HearPlay

HearPlay is now available for purchase. Click the App Store icon below to purchase and download to your iPads.

Read the HearPlay app privacy policy.