Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Testing for Infants
Being able to identify hearing loss in infants allows audiologists and others involved in treatment the ability to begin addressing hearing challenges by the time your child is 6 months old.
Through early diagnosis and intervention, your baby’s spoken language development is able to keep pace with the development of other babies of the same age who are not experiencing a hearing loss.
To make sure that we catch hearing loss as soon as possible, Denton Hearing Health Care uses ABR testing for newborns and young children so we can limit the effects of hearing loss on your child’s development.
How ABR Testing Works
The ear is made up of three parts: the outer, the middle, and the inner ear. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) test evaluates how the inner ear, called the cochlea, and the brain pathways for hearing are working.
Sometimes called an auditory evoked potential (AEP) test, ABR tests are used with children or others who cannot complete a typical hearing screening or if symptoms might be due to hearing loss in the brain or in a brain pathway.
It begins with the placement of electrodes that are stuck to your child’s head. These electrodes record brain wave activity in response to sounds that are transmitted through earphones while your child is resting quietly.
For babies, ABR testing is either pass or fail. Should the baby fail the test, he/she will be tested again or recommended more other forms of testing.
What Our Delighted Patients Say
What Do the Test Results Mean?
A newborn who hasn’t passed the initial hearing tests may not necessarily have an auditory loss. About 90% of newborn babies who don’t pass their first screening pass their second test. Initial hearing test failures can be related to too much wax, vernix, or fluid in the ear.
Consequently, we follow three result scenarios after an infant hearing test, including:
Schedule ABR Testing for Your Baby
You’re in a race against the clock when it comes to addressing the critical issues of infant hearing loss. Early detection leads to the best intervention outcomes and allows your child to properly develop speech and language skills as well as ensure better socialization and academic performance as your child grows.
Our pediatricians at Denton Hearing Health Care are eager to provide answers and solutions to infant hearing loss through early detection and treatment. Contact us by using the adjacent form in order to schedule ABR testing for your baby.
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