OBJECTIVES: Assessing infants’ hearing is of utmost importance, as hearing at this phase is required for the development of oral language. Through hearing, human beings are capable of developing communication. The Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials are an indispensable test to diagnose deafness in infants. This study aimed to analyze the results of the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials in children with risk factors for hearing loss. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials in 123 infants aged 1 to 24 months at a hearing health care service. The Vivosonic Integrity V500 equipment, which enabled the child to be awake while the testing was carried out, was used in this study. The data were compared by gestational age and sex, according to the standards suggested in the equipment handbook. RESULTS: A significant difference was verified for age ranges 4 to 6 months, 13 to 15 months (waves I and V), and 7 to 9 months (wave V). The lower values in absolute wave latencies were comparable to data from the equipment handbook, justifying the need for standardization of the screening process. CONCLUSION: There are some differences between the standards in the equipment handbook and those observed in our study. These results will serve as a reference for the standardization of the equipment used in the hearing health care service.

RESUMO Objetivo Caracterizar a indicação e analisar a percepção dos usuários quanto a queixas e benefícios do uso de próteses auditivas concedidas pelo Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Métodos Estudo transversal, quantitativo, que analisou 100 usuários de próteses auditivas no retorno inicial após adaptação, em um serviço de média e alta complexidade em saúde auditiva. Foram coletados dados dos prontuários relativos às características da perda auditiva, da seleção e adaptação da prótese auditiva, e do tempo de uso. Foi realizada entrevista para investigar a percepção de queixas e benefícios com o uso da prótese auditiva. Resultados Houve predomínio dos seguintes aspectos: a faixa etária de 66 a 90 anos; Ensino Fundamental incompleto; perda auditiva sensorioneural de graus leve e moderado; ligeira/discreta dificuldade de compreensão da fala. Foram adaptadas 184 próteses, sendo a maioria retroauricular e de Tipo A; o tempo de espera entre a indicação e a adaptação foi entre 33 e 88 dias; o principal benefício da prótese auditiva foi a melhora da compreensão/interação social, e a queixa principal referiu-se a problemas de regulagem. Conclusão A maior parte dos usuários relatou benefícios com a utilização da prótese para a compreensão de fala e a interação social, e a queixa mais referida foi a regulagem.

ABSTRACTPurpose: To characterize the referral and analyze the perception of the users regarding the complaints and benefits of the use of hearing aids granted by the Unified Health System. Methods A cross-sectional, quantitative study that analyzed 100 users of hearing aids in the initial visit after fitting, in a service of medium and high complexity in hearing health. Data were collected from the medical records and analyzed the characteristics of the hearing loss, the selection and fitting of hearing aids and the length of time using them. An interview was carried out to investigate the perception of complaints and benefits with the use of hearing aids. Results Among the users of hearing aids, the age range of 66-90 years was predominant; schooling, incomplete middle school prevailed; mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss, slight / discreet difficulty understanding speech; 184 prostheses were adapted, the majority of those were retroauricular and Type A; the waiting time between the referral and fitting was between 33-88 days, the main benefit of the hearing aid was the improvement of social understanding / interaction and the main complaint referred to problems of adjustment. Conclusion Most users reported benefits with prosthesis use for speech comprehension and social interaction; the most mentioned complaint was adjustment.