Neuropsychiatry and child psychiatry: the case of the brainstem evoked potential as an illustration.

In child psychiatry one may frequently and reasonably suspect the existence of a neurophysiological abnormality of some kind even though this abnormality is not detectable with readily available technology: in children presenting developmental or acquired aphasia, in some specific learning disabilities, in severe developmental disorders or perhaps in a subgroup of those labeled Attention Deficit Disorder. 1. The importance for us as child psychiatrists to keep in mind the possible role of neurophysiological factors is put into perspective. 2. What Evoked Potentials are is briefly described as well as the basic principles of the technique used in recording them. 3. A review of the literature reveals how the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses (BAER) have helped in understanding unknown facets of known diseases (Diabetes, Hyperthyroidism, Bell Palsy, etc. . . . ) from this, it is argued that this is reasonable to expect the same usefulness for diagnosis in child psychiatry. 4. An opinion is offered as to how and when a child psychiatrist should make use of this investigation.