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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
Using multi-stimulus auditory steady state response to predict hearing thresholds in high-risk infants
Yi-Fan Chou1, Peir-Rong Chen, Szu-Hui Yu
1Department of Otolaryngology, Buddhist Tzuchi General Hospital, Taipei branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
Summary
Multi-stimulus auditory steady-state responses (ASSR) accurately estimate hearing thresholds in high-risk infants. These results support using ASSR for early identification and intervention of hearing loss in infants.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Congenital hearing loss affects a significant number of high-risk infants.
- Early identification and intervention are crucial for optimal developmental outcomes.
- Accurate hearing threshold estimation in infants is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of multi-stimulus auditory steady-state responses (ASSR) in estimating hearing thresholds in high-risk infants.
- To compare ASSR-derived thresholds with pure-tone audiometry results in later childhood.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of 216 high-risk infants across three tertiary centers.
- Auditory steady-state response thresholds were measured under sedation in infants younger than 13 months.
- Pure tone audiograms were obtained using conditioned play audiometry at 23-48 months of age.
Main Results:
- High correlations were found between ASSR thresholds and pure tone thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz (r=0.88 to 0.97).
- The correlation strength increased with more severe hearing loss and higher frequencies.
- ASSR thresholds measured in infancy predicted later pure tone thresholds with high accuracy.
Conclusions:
- Multi-channel auditory steady-state response thresholds obtained under sedation are reliable predictors of frequency-specific hearing thresholds in high-risk infants.
- ASSR can facilitate early hearing screening and intervention planning for infants.
- This method provides valuable data for managing hearing loss in at-risk infant populations.
