Abstract
To find out if ABR elicited in the neonatal period predicted later hearing status, 117 very preterm (<33 weeks) infants who were tested shortly after birth had hearing assessments at age 4 years. The ABR tests were made with an Amplaid Mk IV in response to wideband high frequency clicks at 100 dB peak equivalent sound pressure level at gestational equivalent ages of 30-42 weeks. Infants with absent responses were re-tested at 3 months. All children had a puretone audiogram at 4 years of age; those with abnormal audiograms had a full oto-audiological investigation. 103 children had ABR in the neonatal period; 101 had normal hearing at 4 years, 1 had a moderate high tone loss and 1 a unilateral loss at 2 kHz, only. ABR were absent in the neonatal period in 14 children. Responses were present at 3 months in 4 children; 3 of the 4 had normal hearing and 1 a loss at 4 kHz only. All 10 children who still had absent ABR at 3 months had SNHL; 9 of the 10 required active treatment. We conclude that neonatal ABR accurately identify very preterm infants who have SNHL which requires active treatment.
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Bradford, B., Hazell, J., Stewart, A. et al. 40 SENSORY NEURAL HEARING LOSS (SNHL) AT 4 YEARS. Pediatr Res 24, 267 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198808000-00066
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198808000-00066