[Evaluation of hearing in children with Down syndrome in light of brain-stem auditory evoked potentials]

Down's syndrome is the most frequently occurring chromosomal aberration which causes, among others, central nervous system (CNS) impairment leading to mental retardation as well as lesions of the sensory analyzers. Contrary to former reports, lesions concerning the hearing organ are relatively common and appear, according to various authors, in 40-78% of patients manifesting Down's syndrome. Simultaneously, the low intellectual level of these children is why the results of audiometry are not fully reliable. A method of brain-stem auditory evoked potentials that is objective and does not require the subject's cooperation is a valuable tool for checking the hearing level. The use of this method in a group of children with Down's syndrome permitted an increased hearing levels to be demonstrated in 47% of examined subjects.