Evaluation of auditory brain-stem response in full-term infants of cocaine-abusing mothers
R. P. Carzoli, S. P. Murphy, J. Hammer-Knisely and J. Houy
Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville 32209.
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between perinatal
cocaine exposure and the prevalence of hearing deficit in the newborn.
Auditory brain-stem response testing was performed on 50 infants of
cocaine-abusing mothers and 50 control infants. All infants were born at
full term. Cocaine-exposed infants had lower birth weights and a greater
incidence of maternal tobacco and alcohol use. No differences were found in
size, method of delivery, Apgar scores, or use of other illicit substances.
Four infants of cocaine-abusing mothers and two control infants failed
initial auditory brain-stem response testing. There were no differences in
absolute or interpeak latencies of waveforms noted between the two groups.
These data suggest that there is no increased incidence of hearing deficit
as determined by auditory brain-stem response in newborns of
cocaine-abusing mothers born at term and without other risk factors.
