Audiologic findings in children with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia: focussing on auditory neuropathy/auditory dys-synchrony

Abstract

The goal of this research was the case study of three children, which presented a history of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia requiring exchange transfusions and audiologic test results suggestive of auditory neuropathy/auditory dys-synchrony (AN/AD).The results of this study showed absence of response in Auditory Brain Stem Response (ABR ) tests and acoustic reflexes, while cochlear microphonics was present in all of the children studied. Cochlear microphonics was found to be a trustworthy instrument when determining the differential diagnosis of AN/AD.In conclusion, high levels of hyperbilirubinemia at birth were found to be a strong risk indicator for auditory neuropathy, since the auditory system has shown itself vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of this substance.