Hearing loss in an institutionalized mentally retarded population. Identification by auditory brainstem response.
We report the results of auditory brainstem response testing of 122 profoundly retarded institutionalized children, a segment of the retarded population heretofore generally regarded as untestable by behavioral audiometry. Major findings include: 32% of the study population showed, by auditory brainstem response, hearing loss exceeding 20 decibels of hearing level in one or both ears (12% showed conductive loss and 20% sensorineural loss); of the 15.6% with evidence of bilateral sensorineural loss, 7.37% had losses in the 30- to 50-dB range, and 8.19% had losses of 60 dB or greater; and evidence of abnormal brain-stem function was found in 11%. Results of otologic examinations and audiologic habilitative follow-up in selected children are also reported.
D000293:Adolescent; D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000175:diagnosis; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000175:diagnosis; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male