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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Auditory Brainstem Response Findings in Children with Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Study
Mariana de Medeiros Cardoso1, Rudimar Dos Santos Riesgo2, Pricila Sleifer3
1Graduate Program in Child and Adolescent Health, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Insights
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit prolonged auditory brainstem response (ABR) latencies. This suggests potential auditory pathway impairments in individuals with ASD compared to typically developing peers.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Audiology
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by social communication deficits and repetitive behaviors.
- Auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing is vital for assessing auditory pathway function from the periphery to the brainstem.
- Understanding ABR in ASD is crucial for addressing sensory processing differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare auditory brainstem response (ABR) findings in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- To compare ABR findings with a control group of typically developing, normal-hearing children.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional, comparative study involving 23 children (ages 7-10) with ASD and a matched control group.
- Comprehensive audiological evaluations including otoscopy, impedance audiometry, pure-tone and speech audiometry.
- Brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) was performed on all participants.
Main Results:
- Statistically significant differences were observed in absolute latencies of waves III and V between groups (p<0.05).
- Interpeak intervals III-V and I-V were also significantly prolonged in the ASD group (p<0.05).
- The study sample comprised 91.3% males and 8.7% females.
Conclusions:
- Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrated increased auditory brainstem response (ABR) latencies.
- These findings suggest a potential impairment in the auditory pathways of children with ASD.
- Further research into auditory processing in ASD is warranted.
Abstract:
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.
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