[Cortical responses evoked by vibrotactile sensations in deaf children]

Vibrotactile evoked responses (VER) to 250 and 500 Hz presented respectively at 50 and 70 dB HL by BC vibrator placed on right thumb, were recorded in 20 children (10 with pathological EEG) with severe sensorineural hearing loss, or deaf since birth, both to control accuracy of cortical responses to high intensity auditory stimuli and to diagnose central non auditory pathways lesions. The results have shown that: VER are present in subjects with severe sensorineural hearing loss or deaf; in children with auditory lesions VER have parameters different from auditory evoked response (AER); VER recording is not related both to the presence of auditory lesions and to neurological pathology.