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Hearing in children after meningococcal meningitis
1Departments of Paediatrics and Audiology, Starship Children's Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. r.drake@auckland.ac.nz
Objective:
To review the outcome of sensorineural hearing loss in children who have had confirmed meningococcal meningitis.
Methods:
A retrospective audit of children admitted to the Starship Children's Hospital with a confirmed diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis during a 4-year period.
Results:
Sixty-five children had confirmed meningococcal meningitis. Dexamethasone was administered according to recommended guidelines in 46 children (72%) while 12 children (19%) did not receive steroids at any stage. All children were appropriately referred for hearing assessment. Forty-nine children (75%) had their hearing tested and reliable sensorineural evaluation was obtained in all but one case. Thirty-four children (70%) were seen up to 6 weeks from discharge, 86% by 12 weeks. Sixteen cases (25%) did not attend for audiological assessment. Sensorineural hearing impairment was found in two children (4.2%).
Conclusions:
Children with meningococcal meningitis were reliably referred for audiological assessment but 39% either failed to attend for an outpatient hearing evaluation (25%) or had an unacceptable delay between discharge and testing (14%). Of those reliably tested, two children (4.2%) had significant sensorineural hearing loss.
Insights
Meningococcal meningitis in children can lead to sensorineural hearing loss. While most children were referred for hearing tests, a significant number missed appointments or faced delays, with 4.2% experiencing hearing impairment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Audiology
Background:
- Meningococcal meningitis is a severe infection that can cause long-term complications.
- Sensorineural hearing loss is a potential sequela of bacterial meningitis in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the incidence of sensorineural hearing loss in children diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis.
- To assess the timeliness and completion of audiological assessments following meningococcal meningitis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective audit of pediatric patients with confirmed meningococcal meningitis at Starship Children's Hospital over a 4-year period.
- Review of audiological assessment referrals, attendance rates, and results.
- Analysis of steroid administration and timing of hearing evaluations post-discharge.
Main Results:
- Out of 65 children with confirmed meningococcal meningitis, 4.2% developed sensorineural hearing impairment.
- While 75% of children underwent hearing testing, 25% failed to attend audiological assessments.
- 14% of children experienced delays in hearing evaluation beyond 12 weeks post-discharge.
Conclusions:
- Children with meningococcal meningitis require timely and consistent audiological follow-up.
- A substantial proportion of children do not complete recommended hearing assessments after meningococcal meningitis.
- Early identification and management of hearing loss are crucial for children recovering from meningococcal meningitis.