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Updated: Mar 16, 2026
A Method for Tracking the Time Evolution of Steady-State Evoked Potentials
Published on: May 25, 2019
Use of auditory steady-state responses in children and comparison with other electrophysiological and behavioral
M François1, E Dehan1, M Carlevan1
1Service d'ORL et Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale, Hôpital Robert-Debré, 48, boulevard Sérurier, 75019 Paris, France.
Objective:
In patients who cannot or will not cooperate in behavioral hearing assessment, electrophysiological examinations are used, but are time-consuming because the subject has to remain immobile. The aim of this study was to assess whether auditory steady-state responses (ASSR) are sufficiently reliable, compared to auditory brainstem responses (ABR) and free-field audiometry, for assessment to begin with ASSR instead of ABR.
Material And Methods:
A retrospective study was performed between January 2012 and April 2013, including children less than 6 years of age who could not be tested via headphones. ASSR and ABR were measured during natural sleep or under phenobarbital-alimemazine sedation. Subjective pure-tone audiometry was performed, using the visual reinforcement audiometry method, in 69 children who were able and willing to cooperate.
Results:
A total of 175 children were included. ASSR and ABR thresholds showed good positive correlation (338 ears; Pearson's correlation coefficient, 0.87). Behavioral thresholds correlated significantly with ASSR thresholds (Student t-test for matched series; P<0.05). ASSR thresholds were usually better than behavioral thresholds, with a difference of 8-15dB HL.
Conclusion:
ASSR is reliable in children under 6 years of age, and should be performed before ABR when hearing threshold rather than latency is to be determined.
