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Auditory Brainstem Response Characteristics of Children with Cerebral Palsy: Clinical Utility and Prognostic Significance

Mohammad Shamim Ansari*,Rangasayee Raghunathrao,Mohammad A Hafiz Ansari

Background: Cerebral palsy affects body muscle and movement coordination due to organic complications in the peripheral and central nervous systems and therefore often accompanied by other disorders of cerebral function. CP with additional impairment of hearing results in severe developmental deficits in communication, speech and language and cognitive skills. Thus it is important to examine the auditory nervous system to identify the complications caused by the hidden hearing loss. Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) provides objective measure of auditory system function and can be an important adjunct to the clinical neurophysiologic examinations. However, there is scanty information about the neurophysiologic investigations in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Aim: To investigate whether the children affected with spastic CP exhibit distinct neural responses than the age matched normal hearing children. Methodology: ABR measures were obtained for 50 children with spastic CP in the age range 3 to 12 years. The results were subsequently correlated with birth weight, gestational age, etiology and type of CP, neuroradiological findings, additional impairments and disabilities (including the ability to walk independently). 50 typically normal hearing children served as reference group for comparisons of neurophysiologic measures of auditory brainstem responses. Results: A significant difference was found in the ABR latencies between the children with cerebral palsy and atypical children. Abnormal ABR measures in children with spastic CP demonstrated a correlation with the presence of moderate to severe developmental delay. Conclusion: It can be concluded that ABR measures of CP group revealed a statistical difference with that of the typically developing children and it has demonstrated a statistically significant correlation with the presence of neurological deficits. Therefore, Auditory Brainstem Response measurement being a non-invasive neurophysiologic investigation can serve as important tool in the diagnostic work up of spastic CP.