Clinical experience with auditory brainstem response audiometry in pediatric assessment.

We discuss our experience with evaluation of 167 children by auditory brainstem response audiometry in 1978. We summarize experience with referral sources, medication for sedation, and interpretation of test outcome. Medication for sedation was required for 136 children. Concommitant central nervous system involvement rendered auditory brainstem response ambiquous in some children; however, the technique still provide useful information about status of peripheral auditory sensitivity obtainable in no other way. Finally, agreement among auditory brainstem response, behavioral, and impedance audiometry predictions was usually quite good.