Auditory brainstem responses in young children with Down's syndrome

Auditory brainstem evoked responses (ABRs) were studied in 37 Japanese infants and children with Down's syndrome to determine the level of the lesion causing their unresponsiveness to sound stimuli. ABR thresholds, peak latencies of waves I and the peak interval latency of wave I-V were measured. For comparison with ABR thresholds, behavioral audiometry was performed. Thirty-two percent of the patients (12 cases) with Down's syndrome showed no responses by ABR as well as behavioral audiometry. The other ABR abnormalities with respect to age-matched controls were classified into 6 types: shorter wave I latencies (2 cases, 5%), shorter wave V latencies (7 cases, 19%), shorter wave I-V intervals (8 cases, 22%), wave I prolongation (13 cases, 35%), wave V prolongation (5 cases, 14%) and prolongation of wave I-V peak interval (no case, 0%). Our results demonstrate a high incidence of hearing loss at middle and inner ear levels, and suggest some anomaly within the auditory brainstem in Japanese cases of Down's syndrome.