BAEP studies in children with attention deficit disorder.

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) were performed on 114 children with attention deficit disorder (ADD). Prolonged latencies of waves III and V and longer brainstem transmission time interval of waves I-III and I-V were observed in the study group compared with normal controls. A significant asymmetry of wave III latency between the ears was found in children with ADD, but not observed in the control group. The authors conclude that children with ADD have brainstem dysfunction. BAEPs, an objective electrophysiological test, may contribute to the diagnosis of ADD, distinguishing these children from the normal population.