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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
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Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses
Published on: January 23, 2017
BERA in children with hearing loss and delayed speech
J M Al-Kandari1, W B Alshuaib, M Joe
1Audiology & Speech Clinic, Ahmadi Hospital, Kuwait.
Electromyography and Clinical Neurophysiology
|April 13, 2006
Summary
Brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) identified hearing loss in 42% of children with suspected hearing loss and 63% of those with delayed speech. Early hearing tests are crucial for timely intervention in children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Audiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Hearing loss is a significant factor affecting speech development in children.
- Objective neurophysiological methods like BERA are essential for accurate hearing threshold evaluation.
- Diagnosing retrocochlear lesions requires specialized audiological assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hearing levels in children with suspected hearing loss or pathological speech development.
- To assess the utility of Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA) in pediatric audiology.
- To determine the prevalence of different degrees of hearing loss in a pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA) diagnostic procedure was employed.
- The study included 184 children aged 1 to 12 years.
- Data was collected at Ahmadi Hospital in Kuwait.
Main Results:
- Profound hearing loss was observed in 13 children, severe in 8, moderate in 34, and mild in 34.
- Normal hearing was found in 95 children.
- 42% of children with suspected hearing loss had some degree of impairment; 63% of children with delayed speech had hearing loss contributing to the delay.
Conclusions:
- Early hearing screening for children is essential, even with slight parental or physician suspicion.
- The findings support the establishment of newborn hearing screening programs in Kuwait.
- Timely audiological evaluation and intervention, including hearing aids, are critical for children with hearing loss.
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