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Published on: January 23, 2017
Estimation of hearing loss in children: comparison of auditory steady-state response, auditory brainstem response,
Melissa Payne Stueve1, CarolAnn O'Rourke
1California Ear Institute, Palo Alto 94303, USA. mstueve@calear.com
Insights
Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) testing accurately measures hearing sensitivity in children with severe-to-profound hearing loss. This study supports including ASSR in pediatric audiology test batteries for better hearing management.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Pediatric hearing tests struggle to measure thresholds in the severe-to-profound range.
- Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) offers a method to assess auditory sensitivity beyond current limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) in pediatric audiology.
- To compare ASSR thresholds with Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) and behavioral methods.
Main Methods:
- Compared hearing thresholds from 76 children using ASSR, ABR, and behavioral audiometry.
- Analyzed correlations between different audiological test methods.
Main Results:
- Strong correlations were found between ASSR, ABR, and behavioral test thresholds.
- ASSR demonstrated accuracy in assessing auditory sensitivity for severe-to-profound hearing loss.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the integration of ASSR into standard pediatric audiology test batteries.
- ASSR provides crucial audiometric data for managing hearing loss in children.
Abstract:
The current pediatric test battery is limited in the severe-to-profound hearing loss range by the inability to obtain frequency-specific thresholds. Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) is an evoked potential test that can accurately measure auditory sensitivity beyond the limits of other test methods. The limited amount of clinical research, however, has delayed the acceptance of ASSR into the standard pediatric test battery. This study compared thresholds from 76 children using ASSR, ABR, and behavioral test methods. Resulting correlations were strong and supported the inclusion of ASSR into the standard pediatric test battery. ASSR testing provides audiometric information that is essential in the management of children with severe-to-profound hearing loss.
