THE RELIABILITY OF ABR RECORDINGS IN CHIL DREN WITH LEARNING-DISABILITIES (SENSORY INTEGRATION DISORDERS)

Diagnostic audiological tests performed in ten children from 1985 to 1 991 showed remarkable differences between the results of behavioral au diometry (free field or pure tone audiometry) and those of auditory ev oked response audiometry. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was absent in seven children with sensory neural hearing loss. Neuropsychologica l evaluation was performed on four children, neuropsychological observ ation was performed on two children, pediatric examination was perform ed on three children and one child showed signs of neuropediatric diso rder. The results of neuropsychological evaluation showed moderate to severe learning disabilities (sensory integration disorders, learning disorders) in all four children tested. Available neuropsychological o bservation also indicated the presence of sensory integration disorder s in two children. Two children had multiple handicaps with cerebral a bnormalities, two further children were diagnosed as suffering from '' minimal cerebral dysfunction,'' one of which was mentally retarded. Th e fact that ABRs were absent in seven children indicates that a respon se desynchronisation in the auditory pathway may exist in these disord ers. Thus, ABR might not be a reliable method for audiological testing in children with learning disabilities or other cerebral dysfunctions , but serves as an adjunct to conventional testing methods.