Assessment of Hearing in High Risk Infants, Using Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry

Abstract

Hearing plays a basic and important role in language, speech and intellectual development. A hearing impaired child develops psychological, social, educational and cognitive problems. The aim is to evaluate the hearing in high-risk neonates using BERA. 50 High risk admissions in the NICU and high- risk infants presenting to the OPD of our hospital for a period of 2 years were included in the study. Of the 50 high-risk infants, 44 (88%) cases had impaired BERA, remaining 6 (12%) had normal hearing threshold. LBW and hyperbilirubinemia were found to have strong relationship with hearing impairment (p value 0.04 and 0.03 respectively) and OR of 1.98 and 1.75 respectively. Elevated auditory threshold was found more frequently in infants with multiple clinical adverse factors than in those having single risk factor (36/50 vs. 8/50, p < 0.009). Proportion of infants with impaired BERA was high in infants with low birth weight and hyperbilirubinemia in exchange range. Screening by BERA at an early age is beneficial for early diagnosis of hearing impairment, so that possible interventions can be used as early as possible and prevent developmental delays in newborns.