J Am Acad Audiol 2002; 13(05): 260-269
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1715969
Articles
American Academy of Audiology. All rights reserved. (2002) American Academy of Audiology

The Auditory Steady-State Response: Full-Term and Premature Neonates

Barbara Cone-Wesson
,
John Parker
,
Nina Swiderski
,
Field Rickards
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
07 August 2020 (online)

Two studies were aimed at developing the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) for universal newborn hearing screening. First, neonates who had passed auditory brainstem response, transient evoked otoacoustic emission, and distortion-product otoacoustic emission tests were also tested with ASSRs using modulated tones that varied in frequency and level. Pass rates were highest (> 90%) for amplitude-modulated tones presented at levels ≥ 69 dB SPL. The effect of modulation frequency on ASSR for 500- and 2000-Hz tones was evaluated in full-term and premature infants in the second study. Full-term infants had higher pass rates for 2000-Hz tones amplitude modulated at 74 to 106 Hz compared with pass rates for a 500-Hz tone modulated at 58 to 90 Hz. Premature infants had lower pass rates than full-term infants for both carrier frequencies. Systematic investigation of ASSR threshold and the effect of modulation frequency in neonates is needed to adapt the technique for screening.