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Illustrations
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Alternative names
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Definition
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How the test is performed
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How to prepare for the test
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How the test will feel
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Why the test is performed
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Normal Values
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What abnormal results mean
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What the risks are
Illustrations
Brain
Brain wave monitor
Alternative names
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Evoked auditory potentials; BAEP - brainstem auditory evoked potentials; Evoked response audiometry
Definition
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The brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) test measures responses in brain waves that are stimulated by a clicking sound to check the central auditory (hearing) pathways of the brainstem.
How the test is performed
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You lie on a reclining chair or bed and remain still. Electrodes are placed on your scalp and on each earlobe. You hear clicking noises or tone bursts through earphones, and the electrodes pick up the brain's response and record it on a graph.
How to prepare for the test
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You may be asked to wash your hair the night before the test.
Infants and children:
The preparation you can provide for this test depends on your child's age and experience. For general information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics:
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Infant test or procedure preparation (birth to 1 year)
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Toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years)
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Preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years)
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Schoolage test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years)
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Adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years)
How the test will feel
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There is little discomfort.
Why the test is performed
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The test is performed to help diagnose nervous system abnormalities, hearing losses (especially in low-birth-weight newborns), and to assess neurologic functions.
Normal Values
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The auditory brain stem values are in a normal range. This range varies among patients and instruments used.
What abnormal results mean
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Abnormal findings may indicate a hearing loss, multiple sclerosis, or a cerebrovascular accident (stroke).
Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
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Acoustic neuroma
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Central pontine myelinolysis
What the risks are
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There are no risks.
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