What is an ABR ear test?

The ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) test can be used to detect hearing loss. It checks your child’s brain’s response to sound. The test is mostly done on infants and children who may not be able to respond to behavioral hearing tests because of their age.

What is a normal ABR?

In general, ABR exhibits a sensitivity of over 90% and a specificity of approximately 70-90%. Sensitivity for small tumors is not as high. For this reason, a symptomatic patient with a normal ABR result should receive a follow-up audiogram in 6 months to monitor for any changes in hearing sensitivity or tinnitus.

How do you perform an ABR test?

How Is an ABR Done? An audiologist places small earphones in the child’s ears and soft electrodes (small sensor stickers) near the ears and on the forehead. Clicking sounds and tones go through the earphones, and electrodes measure how the hearing nerves and brain respond to the sounds.

Can an ABR test be wrong?

Therefore, they can have a normal OAE test result but an abnormal ABR test result. If an ABR test is not performed in these patients, then they may receive a diagnosis at a later date.

Can you pass an ABR and still have hearing loss?

The literature indicates that there is a small percentage of patients who initially pass their UNHS go on to having hearing loss. In our study, we describe children who have passed both OAE and/or ABR screening tests but then were found to have SNHL.

Is automated ABR a screening test?

screening with an otoacoustic emissions test, an automated auditory brainstem response (ABR) test is performed. The purpose of this study was to estimate the rate of hearing loss detected by first-stage otoacoustic emissions test but missed by second-stage automated ABR testing.

Can hearing test pick up tinnitus?

Hearing tests Tinnitus is often linked to hearing loss, so testing your hearing is one of the first steps if you suspect that you have tinnitus.

What happens if my child fails ABR test?

If your baby fails the threshold ABR hearing rescreening and indicates hearing loss, he/she will be referred to an ENT physician for a complete medical evaluation. If the hearing loss is medically treatable, the ENT will treat the underlying medical condition as needed.