Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) Test

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Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article:

ADAM. "Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) Test." 16 May 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://healthguide.howstuffworks.com/baer-brainstem-auditory-evoked-response-dictionary.htm> 27 November 2009.

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Definition

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.

Images:

Brain

Brain wave monitor

Alternative Names

Evoked auditory potentials; BAEP - brainstem auditory evoked potentials; Evoked response audiometry

How the test is performed

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

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:

Infant test or procedure preparation (birth to 1 year)
Toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years)
Preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years)
Schoolage test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years)
Adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years)

How the test will feel

There is little discomfort.

Why the test is performed

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

The auditory brain stem values are in a normal range. This range varies among patients and instruments used.

What abnormal results mean

Abnormal findings may indicate a hearing loss, multiple sclerosis, or a cerebrovascular accident (stroke).

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

What the risks are

There are no risks.

Lots More Information:

•	Hearing loss
•	Multiple sclerosis
•	Stroke
•	Acoustic neuroma
•	Central pontine myelinolysi...

Review Date:4/28/2005
Reviewed By: Chitra R. Uppaluri, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.