Abstract
Auditory evoked potentials are used by pediatric audiologists to determine the type and degree of hearing loss, to monitor hearing status, and to measure functional gain from amplification or cochlear implantation. This article reviews these applications for three auditory evoked potentials: the compound nerve action potential (CAP), the auditory brainstem response (ABR), and the auditory steady state response (ASSR). Physiological and technical bases of these tests are explained for readers who are not audiologists. CAP, ABR, and ASSR can be used to estimate the perceptual hearing threshold for acoustic or electrical stimulation in infants and young children. Each method has excellent validity when stimulus and recording techniques are optimized. Evoked potential tests given with hearing aids or implants may be used to indicate functional gain from these hearing technologies. There is no "best" method among the three techniques described in this article, since there are advantages and disadvantages to each method. The CAP, ABR, and ASSR should never be interpreted in isolation; other audiological tests should be used in conjunction with these tests to obtain the most comprehensive and accurate estimate of an infant's hearing abilities.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 253-279 |
| Number of pages | 27 |
| Journal | Volta Review |
| Volume | 103 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| State | Published - 2001 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cultural Studies
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)