Auditory neuropathy in children: diagnostic criteria and audiological test results.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we evaluated pediatric patients with auditory neuropathy with regard to diagnostic criteria and audiological test results. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Hearing assessment was made in five children with auditory neuropathy (3 boys, 2 girls; age range 7 months to 6 years). The patients were tested with the use of acoustic immitance measures, transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE), behavioral audiometry, and auditory brainstem responses (ABR). RESULTS: Transient otoacoustic emissions were recorded in all the patients in contrast to the lack of auditory evoked brainstem responses (i.e. there were no identifiable waves in all recordings). Another common feature was the absence of correlation between ABR, TEOAE, and behavioral test results. CONCLUSION: Of the above-mentioned measurements, otoacoustic emissions and the auditory brainstem responses, when used together, offer insight into preneural as well as neural function in the auditory system and thus, may form the necessary combination for the evaluation of hearing in children.