For some infants and children, behavioral testing does not provide reliable results. The ABR test can provide useful information about the type and amount of hearing loss, the effect on communication abilities, and the functioning of the hearing nerve. The ABR test consists of sounds that are presented to a child's ears through earphones while the child sleeps quietly in a crib or in a parent's arms. The responses are measured through small electrodes taped on the infant's head and than analyzed by computer.
Testing usually takes less than one hour.