BERA Hearing Test

BERA “OR” Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry

BERA hearing test clinic in Delhi

BERA Hearing Test or say Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry or Auditory brain stem response or an ABR audiometry or BAER or Brainstem auditory evoked response audiometry in children with hearing loss and delayed speech is a neurophysiological method for the evaluation of the hearing threshold and diagnosing retrocochlear lessons.

How is the BERA test conducted?

Bera is an objective mean of eliciting brain stem potentials in response to audiological stimuli which mostly click stimuli. Electrodes help to record these potentials which are placed on the scalp. BERA is an effective screening tool for evaluating cases of hearing loss due to retrocochlear pathology i.e. (Acoustic schwannoma). MRI scan may be indicated if there is an Abnormal BERA in such cases. BERA test should be supplemented by other audiological test battery to know the site of lesion and plan management accordingly.

Used in screening newborns for deafness
Used for intra-operative monitoring of central and peripheral nervous system
Monitoring patients in intensive care units
Diagnosing suspected demyelinated disorders

This graph shows example of BERA test done at high intensity which is 100dBnHL and there is no response present as we can see the is no visible 5^th wave which means that the auditory stimulus which is travelling is brainstem is not able to stimulate even at 100 dBnHL.

These finding needs to be always supplemented with other test like OAE and ASSR, also with Behavioural observations.

What is BERA Test?

BERA is hearing test in which sounds given through the ear. In BERA test child should be sedated first, after sleep Audiologist place electrodes through gel. BERA test will take 30 min after sleeping but in case of full audiological evaluation (ASSR, BERA, Tympanometry, OAE ) it will take 1 Hour.

In BERA test sound will start at 90 dB and decreases 10 dB till 30 dB (normal hearing ). We see wave Vth for hearing if wave Vth not seen till 30dB means hearing problem is there

When a sound reaches the ear, it passes through the external ear canal and vibrates the eardrum. These vibrations are conducted by three small bonus in the middle ear, the malleus, incus and stapes to the inner ear. The inner ear contains the cochlea, which plays an important role in hearing

Why Do We Conduct BERA Test?

It might be difficult to diagnose hearing loss in children early on. Moreover, hearing loss can aggravate speech, language, cognitive, social, and emotional problems. Therefore, testing a child’s hearing when they are young is the best option.

It is deemed to be healthy hearing when the sensory neuron transfers audio impulses at a certain speed from the eardrum to the brain. The BERA test can determine whether the brain receives sound impulses from the nerves and whether the pace at which they are sent is within permissible limits. Furthermore, the BERA test can assess the kind of impairment, degree, and location of the child’s hearing issues. Beyond evaluating hearing threshold, BERA is also used in otoneurologic diagnosis. This will be helpful to those who have a single or asymmetric hearing impairment.

BERA Hearing Test Procedure

BERA hearing tests can be performed without the patient having to do anything. Patients merely need to lie down, preferably in a relaxed state or while sleeping. This examination will be performed on children when they are awake, asleep, or, in exceptional cases, under anesthesia. The BERA test involves placing electrodes on the patient’s head and behind the ear. During this examination, the patient will hear a variety of sounds via headphones. Mainly, this test tracks alterations in Brain Electrical Activity in response to auditory stimulation. Hearing loss is indicated by abnormalities in the signals transmitted when sound is perceived. There is no chance of risks with this examination and is also painless.

If you doubt whether your child has a hearing loss, then for clarifications, consult an expert at Asha Speech and Hearing Clinic. By conducting safe hearing tests like Brain Evoked Response Auditory (BERA), our professionals will determine the accurate results and provide the necessary treatment if hearing loss is identified. Particularly, for children, we have been performing BERA hearing tests in New Delhi for more than a decade. The BERA ear test approximately takes one to two hours. Book an appointment with us to quickly get your tests done by experienced audiologists.