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International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Volume 12, Issue 1, September 2014 pp 08-12

Research Article

Evoked response audiometry in high risk infants

Lakshmi T.¹, Zaheera Sultana S.², S. V. Brid³

^1,2Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Chamrajnagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Chamarajanagar- 571313, Karnataka, INDIA.

³Professor and HOD, Department of Physiology, Sri Nijalingappa Medical College Bagalkote-587102, Karnataka, INDIA.

Abstract

Background: Hearing is the means by which the newborn comes into contact with the world of sound and with language. The first three years of life are the most important period for speech and language acquisition. Reduced hearing acuity of any severity in infancy or early childhood may prevent the child from receiving adequate auditory, linguistic and social stimulation required for speech and language development. Hearing loss is one of the most common abnormalities present since birth. The prevalence of hearing loss is reported to be 1.5 to 6 per 1000 newborn in the well baby nursery population. Several risk factors associated with hearing loss during early infancy have been described by Joint Committee on Infant Hearing which includes hereditary cause, inutero infection, prematurity, asphyxia, hyperbili-rubinemia and ototoxic medications. Objectives: To assess the degree of hearing impairment in high risk infants by using BERA and to analyse and compare BERA responses in high risk infants with age matched controls. Methods: 100 high risk infants having one or more risk factors attending Pediatric OPD of Bapuji hospital and Chigateri General Hospital and 30 age matched controls satisfying the inclusion criteria were randomly selected from immunization centre were subjected to BERA. Parameters such as absolute latencies of waves I, III, and V, Interpeak latencies I-III, I-V and III-V were assessed and analysed by using unpaired t-test. Results: The high risk infants had increased wave V threshold when compared to the control group. Absolute latencies of wave III, V, interpeak latencies of I-III and I-V were prolonged in the cases. The incidence of hearing impairment was 64.9% in the high risk infants.