BERA in children with hearing loss and delayed speech.
OBJECTIVE
The brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) is an objective neurophysiological method for the evaluation of the hearing threshold and diagnosing retrocochlear lesions. The aim of the study was to investigate the hearing level in children with suspected hearing loss or pathological speech development.


METHODS
The BERA diagnostic procedure was applied in 184 children ranging from 1 to 12 years of age at Ahmadi Hospital in Kuwait.


RESULTS
We found profound hearing loss (deafness) in 13 children, severe hearing loss in 8 children, moderate hearing loss in 34 children, mild hearing loss in 34 children, and normal hearing level in 95 children. Out of the children suspected for hearing loss, 42% actually had some level (mild-moderate) of hearing loss. Out of the children with delayed speech, 63% had some level (mild-profound) of hearing loss which actually caused the delay in speech development; 37% had normal hearing, but inadequate verbal communication affected their language acquisition and speech development.


CONCLUSIONS
These results illustrate the necessity to test children hearing even with the slightest suspicion by the parent or doctor of hearing loss. The results warrant the establishment of a hearing screening test of newborns in Kuwait to provide hearing aid to children with hearing loss.
Al-Kandari
J M
JM
Audiology & Speech Clinic, Ahmadi Hospital, Kuwait.
Alshuaib
W B
WB
Joe
M
M
D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007804:Language Development; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology; D014705:Verbal Behavior