[Hearing screening using acoustically evoked brain stem potentials in newborn infants and infants]

Reported failure rates of hearing screening using the conventional brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) audiometry range from 5% to 60% with about 30% of the babies having normal hearing sensitivity on follow-up. Testing an automated infant screener using advanced evoked response technology the results of this new system are compared to a conventional evoked response system operated by skilled personal. 50 neonates (100 ears) were tested at a gestational age of 40-42 weeks. Normal results were obtained in all 25 neonates (50 ears) of the control group using both testing procedures. Out of 25 neonates (50 ears) at risk for congenital, peri- or postnatal hearing disorder abnormal results were seen with either one or both methods in 8 patients. In 4 out of 100 investigated ears (4%) results of the BAER infant screener were false positive and in 2 cases (2%) false negative. The possibilities and limits of this hearing screener are evaluated and its validity for newborn-screening compared to known follow-up studies are discussed.