[Role of electrophysiology in the current diagnosis of deaf children]

The role of electrophysiology (auditory evoked potentials) in children up to 3 years old was studied through the feasibility and results of subjective audiometry. In children over six months old, subjective tests are performed systematically or at least tried before using electrophysiology. Electrophysiology is required when audiometry is impossible, and it is often performed when audiometry is abnormal. When subjective tests were not performed first, either because the child is too young or shows a developmental retardation, and the electrophysiological tests are abnormal, it is absolutely necessary to obtain an exact level of hearing as soon as possible using subjective tests. The results of a study on 244 electrophysiologically tested children between the 0 and 3 years of age are presented briefly. In 73% of the cases, the auditory brainstem responses were sufficient for clarifying or confirming the subjective tests. In 27%, they had to be completed be an electrocochleography (ECochG) under general anesthesia. The information based on the ECochG and the comparison data between the ECochG and subjective thresholds are presented. On one hand, this study highlights the double complementarity between audiometry and electrophysiology on the other, the brainstem potentials and ECochG.