During this test, three small electrodes are placed on the baby’s head, and then clicks or tones are played into little headphones placed over the baby’s ears. The equipment measures the brain’s response to these sounds. This test does not measure what the baby can hear, rather it determines the sounds to which the brain actively responds. This test takes only a few minutes and can be done while the baby is sleeping. A parent of a deaf child might encounter the term “Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)” when discussing potential hearing tests for their baby with their pediatrician.
Has your child or family member been identified as deaf or hard of hearing?