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Updated: Jul 30, 2026
Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
Published on: July 1, 2015
Recording auditory brainstem responses from infants
T W Picton1, A Durieux-Smith, L M Moran
1Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) are effective for infant hearing screening. Expanding ABR screening beyond neonatal intensive care units could identify more cases of hearing impairment in infants.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) are reliably recorded in infants.
- ABRs are recognizable at 30 dB above normal hearing thresholds, making them suitable for infant hearing screening.
- Current ABR screening primarily targets infants in neonatal intensive care units.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the utility of ABRs in infant hearing screening.
- To discuss the diagnostic capabilities of ABRs for assessing hearing loss severity and type.
- To advocate for a broader application of ABR screening programs.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing click-elicited ABRs for initial screening.
- Employing threshold determination for estimating hearing loss severity.
- Conducting bone-conduction studies and frequency-specific ABRs for detailed diagnosis.
Main Results:
- ABRs provide reliable hearing threshold estimates in infants.
- ABRs can differentiate conductive from sensorineural hearing loss components.
- ABRs effectively assess hearing across different frequencies.
Conclusions:
- ABRs are a valuable tool for identifying hearing impairment in infants.
- Current screening practices miss a significant number of infants with hearing loss.
- Wider implementation of ABR screening programs is recommended.
Abstract:
Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) can be reliably recorded from infants in the first few months of life. Since they are normally recognizable down to intensities that are 30 dB above normal hearing thresholds, ABRs elicited by clicks are useful in screening for hearing-impairment in infancy. The ABRs can also provide further diagnostic information about the hearing losses that are detected by screening: the threshold for the response represents a reasonable estimate of the severity of the hearing loss; bone-conduction studies can assess the extent of a conductive loss; and frequency-specific techniques can evaluate hearing thresholds at different frequencies. At present, ABRs are mainly used for screening infants who have been treated in neonatal intensive care units. Because the majority of infants with hearing impairment are not seen in these units, it might be worthwhile to use ABRs in a more widespread screening program.
