Play audiometry and auditory brainstem responses for hearing evaluation in young children

Objective To report hearing evaluation in young children using auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and play audiometry (PA). Methods Sixtychildren(120 ears) aged 3-6 years were subjected to ABR evaluation after tympanometry and otoacoustic emission testing had ruled out conductive hearing loss and auditory neuropathy. The children were divided into two groups based upon ABR wave V threshold: Group A (n=30) — threshold between 50 and 90 dB nHL, and Group B (n-30) — no response at the system maximum output at 97 dB nHL. PA results in the two groups were compared. Results In Group A, ABR wave V thresholds were similar to PA thresholds at 2 and 4 kHz. In Group B, despite failure in obtaining ABR wave V thresholds, behavioral thresholds were determined in most children on PA. Conclusion ABR wave V thresholds appear to correlate to behavioral thresholds at high frequencies. Failure to determine ABR threshold at 97 dB nHL does not equal to no hearing.