Name: Digi Hearing Solutions
Address: 1826, Urban Estate Phase 2, Dugri,, Ludhiana, Punjab, 141013, India
Telephone: +91 90745 96000

BERA is a test that detects any abnormalities in the cranial nerve or brainstem. The test is advised for new-borns who are at significant risk of hearing loss and cannot be tested with standard audiometry.
The BERA test assesses how portions of a child’s nervous system influence or affect his or her hearing. The auditory nerve’s response to sounds is measured by the ABR test. It’s done if an infant or baby fails the auditory screening test given shortly after birth in the hospital, or if an older child is suspicious to hearing problems.
When sound reaches the eardrum, it travels through the outer ear canal & it stimulates the sound. There are three tiny bone fragments (malleus, incus, and stapes) in the eardrum which transmit vibrations to the inner ear.
The cochlea, which is involved in listening, and the vestibular portion, which is aimed at maintaining balance, are both located in the inner ear. The 8th cranial nerve, commonly known as the vestibulocochlear nerve (The nerve which is responsible for maintaining the balance and hearing of a person), transmit signals from the inner ear to the brainstem, a key portion of the brain.

The BERA test is painless and safe.

Once the child is asleep or lying motionless, comfortable, and with their eyes shut, the BERA test can be conducted.
If baby is under the age of six months, the ABR test can usually be done when he or she is sleeping.
If your kid is older than 7, the BERA test can usually be performed while he or she is awake as long as he or she can rest and lay still. The test can be done in an Audiological clinic with sound-treated room.
The ABR test is performed under anesthesia for children aged 6 months to 7 years, which means your child will require medicine to help him or her rest throughout the procedure.
Centres perform ABR tests under anaesthesia. When anesthesia is required, there are specific eating and drinking guidelines that must be observed in the hours leading up to the procedure. The test will not be completed that day if these regulations are not followed.
The test takes roughly 1 hour to 1 & 1/2 hours, but owing to recovery time, the full visit may take about 2 hours.

BERA Tests: Why is it done?

When a child is having a hearing loss, his or her all speech milestones get affected, so to get the early intervention and early treatment procedure, we need to check on whether the child is hearing properly or not.
When the sensory neuron can transport audio signals from the eardrum to the cerebral at a specific speed, it is considered healthy hearing.
The BERA test can tell you if your nerves are sending sound impulses to your brain and if the sound delivery speed is within acceptable bounds. The kind of impairment (conducting or input from sensors), degree (hearing threshold), and location of hearing problems (inner ear or other regions) of the child can all be determined during this hearing tests.
Individuals with single or asymmetric hearing impairment get benefitted from this.

Procedure involves the electrode placement.
- Over the apex of the skull, which is the most conspicuous position at the back of the head, a non-inverting electrode is placed.
- On each ear lobe or submandibular protrusion, the firm bony rises behind each ear, reverse electrodes.
- Over the brow, an earthing electrode is placed.
The resulting waveforms are amplified using various electrical processes, allowing for easy waveform recording.
The waveform’s peaks are named Wave I through Wave VII.
The wavelength and the click stimulation are frequently separated by less than 10 milliseconds.
Various readings are recorded and annotated in various places and polarities.
The waves are recorded and forwarded to be interpreted.
The generated waves are amplified using a variety of electrical processes, making waveform recording simple.

The BERA test price is not very high but the preparation before the test must be done with utmost care. Here are the tips below:
Oil-free hair is required. Before the test, the person being tested is encouraged to take a shampoo bath.
The BERA technique still requires a lot of lying. As a result, the person or new-born may be given a mild sedative to put them to bed during the test.