Management and Treatment of Auditory Neuropathy

Auditory neuropathy (AD) involves a wide range of disorders. AD is a hearing disorder in which the inner ear successfully detects sound and sent to the brain, but sounds are not well processed in the nervous system and the person will have poor speech-perception abilities and difficulty to understand the speech. It can affect people of all ages, from infancy through adulthood. It can be due to damage to internal hair cells to disturbances in the function of the auditory nerve and higher pathways, (Auditory Neuropathy/Dyssynchrony Spectrum Disorder). There are several possible causes for AD, such as premature birth,lack of oxygen (anoxia) at birth, Hyperbilirubinemia, possibly requiring blood transfusion, ototoxic drug exposure, infectious disease, immune disorders (Guillain-Barre, etc.), non-syndromic dominant autosomal, neurological disorders and etc. Four auditory tests are necessary to diagnose auditory neuropathy,Tympanometry and Acoustic Reflexes, Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), Otoacoustic Emission (OAEs), Behavioral Audiogram (for child older than 5to 6 months). Normally, in AD, the results of the OAE are normal, this means tha t hair cells in the inner ear are working normally. At the same time, ABR responses as a function of auditory nerve are absent or very abnormal. This shows poor processing in auditory system.To diagnose and identify AD, medical and rehabilitation treatment, the team of neurologists, audiologist, and speech therapists should be involved. The location of the problem that causes AD differs from person to person. Most of the time, there is no medical treatment for AD. For rehabilitation, management options include special hearing aids, auditory training, sound therapy, speech therapy, sensory integration, occupational therapy, is suggested.

کلیدواژه ها:

Auditory Neuropathy ، rehabilitation ، Children