Auditory Brainstem Response Findings in Children with Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Study

Introduction  Autism spectrum disorder is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by deficits in communication and social interactions, as well as repetitive behavioral patterns. Understanding the relationship between auditory brainstem response and hearing is crucial, considering the importance of sensory function. Auditory brainstem response testing is a tool that evaluates the auditory system from periphery to brainstem in response to an acoustic stimulus, providing important information about the auditory pathways. Objective  To compare auditory brainstem response findings in children with autism spectrum disorder versus those of a control group. Methods  Cross-sectional, comparative study of 23 children (age 7-10 years) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and an age- and sex-matched control group of normal-hearing children with typical development. All participants underwent otoscopy, impedance audiometry, pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and brainstem evoked response audiometry. Results  Statistically significant between-group differences were seen on comparison of the absolute latencies of waves III ( p  = 0.047) and V ( p  = 0.034), as well as interpeak intervals III to V ( p  = 0.048) and I to V ( p  = 0.036), with increased values in the study group. The sample was composed of 8.7% females and 91.3% males. Conclusion  In this sample, children with autism spectrum disorder showed increased auditory brainstem response latencies compared to the control group, suggesting auditory pathway impairment.