CLICK-EVOKED OTOACOUSTIC EMISSIONS AND BR AIN-STEM ACOUSTIC EVOKED-POTENTIALS FOR EARLY DETECTION OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT AFTER NEONATAL INTENSIVE-CARE

Evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAE) and brainstem acoustic evoked pote ntials (BAEP) were recorded from 78 children following neonatal intens ive care. In 23% no EOAE could be obtained. Hearing impairment in the BAEP was found in 9%. In 22% negative EOAE were found in spite of norm al BAEP. According to the latency-intensity function of waves I and V all children with abnormal BAEP were classified having a conductive he aring loss. In accordance in no case a narrowing of the emission spect rum could be found in the EOAE. In both methods the rate of hearing im pairment was highest in children with birth weight of less than 1000 g . A screening of all infants after neonatal intensive care using EOAE is recommended. BAEP should be done additionally in cases with deficie nt EOAE.