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Semin Hear 2011; 32(2): 163-171
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1277238
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Clinical Status of the Auditory Steady-State Response in Infants

De Wet Swanepoel1 , 2
  • 1Department of Communication Pathology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
  • 2Callier Center for Communication Disorders, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
18 July 2011 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Pediatric audiology has seen the inclusion of the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) in clinical test batteries as a valuable diagnostic tool. Its unique stimuli, recording and analysis characteristics allow for applications not previously possible with other auditory evoked responses in infants and young children. Although the long-standing research and clinical validation history of the frequency-specific auditory brain stem response (ABR) make it the current gold standard for estimating hearing thresholds, accumulating evidence is establishing the ASSR as a reliable and accurate tool for the diagnosis of hearing loss in infants. Current test-protocol efficiency and accuracy may be improved by including the ASSR to supplement ABR data and to cross-check test results. This article reviews the ASSR and its current clinical applications and limitations for determining hearing thresholds in infants and young children.

KEYWORDS

Auditory steady-state response - objective audiometry - auditory brain stem response - infant hearing loss - pediatric audiology - auditory evoked potentials

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De Wet SwanepoelPh.D. 

Department of Communication Pathology

University of Pretoria, South Africa 0002

Email: dewet.swanepoel@up.ac.za

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