Early development of brainstem auditory evoked potentials in Down's syndrome

Brain auditory evoked potentials in children with Down syndrome

“…In a study of 60 children with Down syndrome, Szyfter and Łącz-kowska-Przybylska [7] concluded pure tone audiometry to be unrealisable in 35 cases. Precise evaluation of the condition of the auditory organ regardless of the patient's age or mental condition became possible after objective tests, especially BAEP, were introduced into clinical practice [11,22,23].…”

“…The authors suggest that elongation of peak I latency results from conductive hearing loss. Jiang et al [22] performed BAEP tests on a group of 14 children aged from 1 month to 3 years, and in younger children found a higher hearing threshold and a diminution of peak I latency as well as a shortening of interpeak latency IVand a smaller amplitude of peak V. There was a clear tendency for the hearing threshold to improve with age. That, according to the authors, indicates that the peripheral elements of the auditory pathway mature later in children with Down syndrome.…”

Binaural Masking Release in Children With Down Syndrome

“…35,NO. 4, (ABR) latencies are decreased whereas cortical latencies are increased for infants, older children, and adults with Down syndrome compared with their age-matched, typically developing peers (Folsom et al 1983;Jiang et al 1990;Seidl et al 1997;Forti et al 2008;Kittler et al 2009). Decreased brainstem latencies for individuals with Down syndrome have been attributed to smaller auditory structures (i.e., cochlea and central auditory pathway) and shorter neural conduction times (Diaz & Zurron 1995;Ferri et al 1995;Forti et al 2008).…”

Education and children with Down syndrome: Neuroscience, development, and intervention

“…Investigations of neural function, as opposed to structure, in early infancy suggest some abnormalities: there is evidence of either delayed or aberrant auditory system development [Jiang et al, 1990], which might contribute to the widespread hearing disorders observed in Down syndrome. Obviously, such a disorder, if organic, could be related to subsequent difficulties seen in the learning of language.…”