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BERA Test: Everything You Should Know!

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BERA Test: Everything You Should Know!

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Medically Reviewed By
Dr. Geetanjali Gupta

Written By Muskan Taneja
on Jan 17, 2025

Last Edit Made By Muskan Taneja
on Jan 20, 2025

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BERA Test: Everything You Should Know!
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Have you ever thought about how your brain processes sounds? The BERA test can help solve this mystery. 

Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response is the BERA test in its full form. It measures how the brain responds to sounds, such as tones, claps, or clicks. 

The research found that 2 million children in India are deaf, with 12 lakhs attending school and the remaining 8 lakhs either dropping out or unable to attend. The deaf community in India often experiences cultural negligence. A BERA test can help tackle this situation by identifying hearing loss and diagnosing hearing disorders. 

Let’s not miss any more minutes and learn more about BERA Test. 

What is the BERA Test? 

The BERA test is a hearing examination performed on children aged 1 to 3 years. 

The test also goes by the popular name of

  • Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential (BAEP) 

  • Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) 

  • Evoked Response Audiometry (ERA) 

The BERA test is a painless and safe procedure that helps doctors evaluate the communication of electrical waves from the VIIIth cranial nerve to the brainstem in response to capturing the sounds given through the ear. 

A healthcare provider may perform the BERA test on an infant or baby failing an auditory screening test or on a person suspected of having hearing problems. 

An abnormal BERA test report suggests that the infant is at a high risk of hearing loss and that conventional audiometry cannot be performed. 

Why Is the BERA Test Done? 

A BERA test evaluates the brain's response to sounds in babies and children. Depending on the diagnostic center and city, it costs between INR 2,500 and 4,000. A doctor can recommend the BERA test for various reasons.

  1. The BERA test can monitor hearing aid selection and fitting in infants and children. 

  2. Doctors can evaluate hearing loss caused by retro-cochlear pathology, such as acoustic schwannoma and acoustic neuroma. 

  3. It can be done to monitor the central and peripheral nervous system during surgical procedures, including treatment of Meniere’s disease or facial palsy. 

  4. The test can help screen for cochlear implant development and surgical procedures. 

  5. The test can diagnose any underlying demyelination disorders like multiple sclerosis. 

BERA Test for Adults

  • The BERA test can help discover pathologies from the vestibulocochlear nerve, the eighth cranial nerve responsible for hearing, up to the brainstem.
  • Doctors use the BERA test on children who are mentally impaired or have difficulty responding to conventional audiometry. 
  • It can detect asymmetric hearing loss, a medical condition in which hearing loss is more in one ear than another. 

BERA Test for Infants 

  • The test is performed on infants with a family history of congenital hearing loss.
  • The BERA test can detect hyperbilirubinemia or high bilirubin levels 
  • Doctors may perform the test to detect the cause of head injury. 
  • The test can detect deformities or malformations in the face and head. 

Possible Symptoms of Hearing Loss in Babies 

The symptoms of hearing loss in babies change from birth to two years. 

Birth to 4 Months

  • Newborns don’t startle at loud sounds. 

  • They don’t respond to your voice, including cooing, smiling, or calming down. 

4 Months to 9 Months

  • The baby doesn’t smile when spoken to or when toys make sounds. 

  • The baby may not turn their head toward familiar sounds. 

  • The baby does not make bobbling noises or understand hand movements like ‘Hi’ and ‘Bye.’ 

9 Months to 15 Months

  • Infants still do not make bobbling or attempt to repeat simple sounds. 

  • Infants don’t use their voices to get your attention. 

  • Infants don’t respond to their names. 

15 Months to 24 Months

  • Your child is not using many simple words and can’t point to body parts when you ask. 

  • Your child can’t name common objects. 

  • Your child doesn’t listen with interest to songs, stories, and rhymes. 

  • Your child can’t follow basic commands. 

Also, read https://redcliffelabs.com/myhealth/health/autism-spectrum-disorder-everything-you-need-to-know/ 

Preparation for the BERA Test

The BERA test procedure requires placing electrodes on your scalp and each earlobe, where a brief click, tone, or sound will be transformed through the earphones you wear during the BERA test. The electrodes pick up the brain’s response and record it for further evaluation.

The test procedure usually takes thirty to ninety minutes without risk of health complications. 

To perform a smooth testing procedure for the BERA test, your healthcare provider may recommend some guidelines, including: 

Proper Rest

Fatigue, tiredness, and stress can hinder the BERA test procedure. Therefore, resting properly and relaxing on the testing day is important. 

Cleanliness

Clean your ears with a tissue or soft cloth, but avoid inserting cotton buds or anything into your ear canal. 

You should avoid applying oil or cream to your hair and wash it with shampoo and conditioner the night before the test. 

Medication

Inform your doctor if you are already taking any medicines. Instead, they choose to take only prescribed medications. Unnecessary medications may hinder your BERA test results. 

Avoid Loud Noise

Avoid any noise or sound louder than a vacuum, primarily 12 hours before the test. 

Inform your Healthcare Provider

Talk to your healthcare provider and inform them if you have any neurological conditions.

Also, inform them if you have any known electrode pastes or tape allergies. This can help ensure a smooth testing procedure without reporting hindrances. 

Be Comfortable

The BERA test procedure requires comfortable sitting in a reclined position and remaining relaxed. Therefore, wear comfortable clothing or bring something that comforts you, such as a favorite toy or pillow. 

Understanding the BERA Test Results 

The BERA test results show your brain’s response to sound or wave activity, such as clicks, claps, or tones. The BERA test's normal result for a healthy person is to produce seven waves within the first 10 milliseconds. 

Doctors interpret the test result after looking at your brain’s response to seven waves. Each BERA test waves have their purpose, which is

  • Wave I- Acoustic nerve 

  • Wave II- Cochlear nucleus 

  • Wave III- Superior olivary complex 

  • Wave IV- Nucleus of the lateral lemniscus 

  • Wave V- Inferior colliculus

  • Wave VI- From medical geniculate body

  • Wave VII- Originate between the medial geniculate body and the auditory complex. 

Healthcare providers believe this after monitoring the BERA test in the normal range of 1000-4000 Hz. 

The healthcare provider collectively evaluates the test results based on BERA test waves, normal range, and responses. 

These evaluations can be done for: 

  • Detection and quantification of deafness in infants and children

  • Determine the nature of deafness classified as conductive, sensory, or neural. 

  • Identifying the site of lesion in retro cochlear pathologies

  • Studying central auditory disorders

  • Studying the maturity of the central nervous system in newborns. 

The BERA test abnormal report indicates medical conditions as

  • Hearing loss

  • Multiple sclerosis 

  • Acoustic neuroma 

  • Stroke 

  • Brain injury 

  • Brain malformation 

  • Central pontine myelinolysis 

  • Neurologic diseases

  • Speech disorders 

  • Brain tumor 

Limitations of the BERA Test

The test is generally safe and non-invasive. However, the BERA test procedure may pose minimal risks. These include: 

  • Discomfort or Pain

The BERA test is painless. However, the electrodes placed on the scalp may cause discomfort, pain, or irritation for some people. 

  • Skin Irritation or Redness

Experts have observed skin irritation or redness when electrodes are placed on the scalp. These signs disappear without medical intervention. 

  • Rare Complications

The test doesn’t cause any complications; however, some people may experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo. These complications are rare and go away independently in a few hours. 

  • Electrical Shock

The equipment used for the BERA test carries a low risk of delivering an electrical shock. Get the test from an experienced advanced technology to prevent the risk of electrical shock. 

  • False-positive or False-Negative Result

A false-positive or false-negative result is rare, as BERA tests are highly accurate. However, background noise during the test can interfere with the BERA test result. 

Key Takeaways 

A BERA test is useful for detecting the brain’s capability to respond to sounds like clapping or clicking. It is an objective test that evaluates hearing ability. It is usually performed on infants from newborns to three years old. If you see symptoms in your baby, take the BERA test to detect abnormality.

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