ABSTRACT
Audiologic diagnosis for infants requires an extensive test battery in order to provide
all the information needed and wanted. Behavioral test methods continue to be an important
tool, in particular visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA), with the limitation that
children younger than 5 to 6 months of age cannot be expected to respond in a reliable
way. Impedance audiometry provides an important means of assessing middle ear status,
and the middle ear reflex also adds information about inner ear and cochlear nerve
function. However, a higher probe tone frequency than the ordinary 226 Hz seems to
provide more reliable test results in small children. Otoacoustic emissions are basic
as a screening tool but in most cases provide little additional information on children
with significant hearing loss, although there certainly are exceptions. The electrophysiologic
methods form a very important part of the test battery. The recording of ABR is an
obvious test when a hearing impairment is suspected. Electrocochleography provides
more frequency-specific data and has the power of sometimes providing responses where
no ABR can be recorded, especially when the transtympanic needle electrode is used.
Steady-state evoked potentials (SSEP) constitute a relatively new test method with
which rather few clinics so far have practical experience, but it certainly holds
promise as an addition to the test battery allowing good frequency specificity and
efficiency.
KEYWORD
Behavioral audiometry - impedance audiometry - auditory evoked potentials.
