A study of brainstem evoked response audiometry in children with severe hearing loss
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20191729Keywords:
Severe hearing loss, Brainstem evoked response audiometry, ChildrenAbstract
Background: Brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) is a non-invasive diagnostic tool which can be used to assess the early hearing loss. The objectives of the study were to find out the risk factors for severe hearing loss in children and to evaluate the role of BERA in early diagnosis of severe hearing loss in children.
Methods: The present hospital based cross sectional study was conducted on 105 children suffering from severe hearing loss. Risk factors of hearing loss was assessed in these children and brainstem evoked response audiometry was performed.
Results: Out of 105 children studied risk factors for hearing loss were present in 69 cases (65.71%) in which several cases had multiple risk factors. History of prolonged stay at NICU was present in 23 cases (21.9%). 11 (10.5%) cases had suffered from meningitis while history of cerebral malaria was present in 2 cases (1.9%). History of cerebral palsy was present in 5.7% cases. The family history of hearing loss was present in 15 patients (14.3%). Bilateral severe hearing loss was present in 76 cases (72.4%) while in 13 cases (12.4%) there was bilateral severe to profound hearing loss assessed using BERA test.
Conclusions: Early detection and timely intervention can not only help prevent this silent handicap of deafness but also contribute to social and economic productivity of a community.
References
Tucci DL, Merson MH, Wilson BS. A summary of the literature on global hearing impairment: current status and priorities for action. Otol Neurotol. 2010;31(1):31–41.
Alberti PW, Hyde ML, Riko K, Corbin H, Abramovich S. An evaluation of BERA for hearing screening in high-risk neonates. Laryngoscope. 1983;93:1115-21.
Biswas A. Assessing the deaf child. Clinical Audio‑Vestibulometry for Otologists and Neurologists. 3rd ed. Mumbai: Bhalani Publishing House; 2002: 96‑100.
Thirunavukarasu R, Balasubramaniam GK, Kalyanasundaram RB, Narendran G, Sridhar S. A study of brainstem evoked response audiometry in high-risk infants and children under 10 years of age. Indian J Otol. 2015;21:134-7.
Chalak SS, Kale AB, Deshpande VK, Patil CY, Biswas DA, Sawane MV, et al. BERA in Detection of Hearing Loss in Children A Retrospective Study of its use in Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital. JDMIMSU. 2010;5(1):45-8.
Mehl AL, Thomson V. Newborn hearing screening: The great omission. Pediatrics. 1998;101:e4.
Bansal R, Agarwal AK. BERA in high risk children a 5 year hearing evaluation. IJO & HNS. 1997: 73-80.
Gupta N. Brain stem evoked response audiometry (BERA) in patients with severe hearing impairement. 2008.
Lachowska M, Surowiec P, Morawski K, Pierchała K, Niemczyk K. Second stage of universal neonatal hearing screening: a way for diagnosis and beginning of proper treatment for infants with hearing loss. Advances Med Sci. 2014;59:90-4.
Bhagya V, Brid SV, Doddamani M. Incidence of hearing loss in infants at risk. Int J Biol Med Res. 2011;2(4):1102-5.
Harvey C. New born hearing screening. Aust Prescr. 2003;26(4):82.
Kumari R, Chakraborty P, Jain RK, Kumar D. Auditory assessment of children with severe hearing loss using Behavioural Observation Audiometry (BOA) and Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA). Int J Res Med Sci. 2016;4:2870-3.