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An auditory brainstem response machine is a device used to measure how the hearing nerve and brainstem respond to sound. It records electrical activity through small electrodes placed on the scalp or skin. Sounds are played through earphones, inserts, or headphones while the machine records the response. The test is commonly called an ABR test.
read more about auditory brainstem response machine ...An auditory brainstem response machine is used to evaluate hearing and auditory nerve pathway function. It can help screen newborns, test infants or children who cannot complete standard hearing tests, and assess selected adults with hearing or nerve-related concerns. It may also be used when clinicians suspect auditory neuropathy or need objective hearing-threshold information. Results are interpreted by trained audiology or medical professionals.
The machine sends clicking sounds or tone bursts into the ear. Electrodes detect tiny electrical responses produced as sound signals travel from the ear through the auditory nerve to the brainstem. The device averages many responses to create waveforms. The clinician reviews timing, shape, and response levels to assess hearing pathway function.
The patient lies still or sleeps while electrodes are attached to the head and ear area. Babies are often tested while naturally sleeping, while some children may need sedation depending on age and testing needs. Sounds are delivered through earphones, and the machine records responses from both ears. The test is painless and does not require the patient to answer questions.
ABR testing is noninvasive and generally safe. The main challenge is movement, crying, muscle activity, or poor electrode contact, which can interfere with recordings. Sedation, when used, has separate risks and requires monitoring. ABR results help assess hearing pathways, but they may be combined with otoacoustic emissions, tympanometry, behavioral hearing tests, imaging, or medical evaluation.
No. The test is painless. The electrodes sit on the skin, and sounds are played into the ears.
ABR testing can help check hearing in babies who cannot respond to standard hearing tests. It is also used after failed newborn screening or when risk factors are present.
No. It gives objective information about hearing nerve and brainstem responses, but other hearing tests or medical exams may still be needed.
Not always. Babies may sleep naturally during the test, while some older infants or children may need sedation if they cannot stay still.
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Your Baby's Hearing Screening and Next Steps. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/your-babys-hearing-screening-and-next-steps. Date Accessed June 16, 2026.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR). American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/auditory-brainstem-response/. Date Accessed June 16, 2026.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Evaluation. Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/hearing-loss/auditory-brainstem-response-abr-evaluation. Date Accessed June 16, 2026.
Auditory Brainstem Response. StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK564321/. Date Accessed June 16, 2026.