OBJECTIVE: To report an infant with congenital cytomegalovirus and progressive sensorineural
hearing loss, who was assessed by three methods of hearing evaluation. CASE DESCRIPTION: In the first audiometry, at four months of age, the infant showed abnormal
response in Otoacoustic Emissions and normal Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR),
with electrophysiological threshold in 30dBnHL, in both ears. With six months of
age, he showed bilateral absence of the ABR at 100dBnHL. The behavioral
observational audiometry was impaired due to the delay in neuropsychomotor
development. At eight months of age, he was submitted to Auditory Steady State
Response (ASSR) and the thresholds were 50, 70, absent in 110 and in 100dB,
respectively for 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 4,000Hz in the right ear, and 70, 90, 90
and absent in 100dB, respectively for 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 4,000Hz in the left
ear. COMMENTS: In the first evaluation, the infant had abnormal Otoacoustic Emission and normal
ABR, which became altered at six months of age. The hearing loss severity could be
identified only by the ASSR, which allowed the best procedure for hearing aids
adaptation. The case description highlights the importance of the hearing status
follow-up for children with congenital cytomegalovirus.