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Examples of implemented neonatal hearing screening programs in Austria
1Department of Hearing, Speech and Voice Disorders, Innsbruck, Austria. Kunigunde.Welzl-Mueller@uibk.ac.at
Insights
Universal neonatal hearing screening effectively identifies congenital permanent childhood hearing impairment. Early detection enables timely intervention, significantly improving outcomes for affected infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Congenital permanent childhood hearing impairment requires early detection for optimal management.
- The Austrian ENT society recommended universal neonatal hearing screening in 1995.
- Current screening coverage varies, with lower rates for healthy full-term neonates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of universal neonatal hearing screening in Austria.
- To determine the incidence of permanent childhood hearing impairment in screened neonates.
- To assess the impact of early detection on intervention and management.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of screening and follow-up data from 37,543 neonates.
- Documentation of screening test results and outcomes for infants with failed screenings.
- Tracking of intervention and family management for identified cases of hearing loss.
Main Results:
- Screening coverage reached 67% for healthy neonates and 86% for intensive care unit neonates.
- Referral rates were 1-3.7% in maternity units and 2.7-15% in intensive care units.
- Bilateral permanent hearing loss was identified in 91 infants (2.4 per 1000), with early intervention initiated.
Conclusions:
- Universal neonatal hearing screening is a valuable tool for early detection of hearing impairment.
- The incidence of permanent hearing loss identified supports the screening program's utility.
- Early intervention and management are crucial for infants diagnosed with hearing loss through screening.
Abstract:
In order to improve early detection of congenital permanent childhood hearing impairment the Austrian ENT society recommended in 1995 that universal neonatal hearing screening be introduced ("Millstätter Concept"). Coverage is presently about 67% for full-term healthy neonates and 86% for neonates from intensive care units. For maternity units, referral rates between 1% and 3.7% have been reported (2.7-15% for intensive care units). The results of the screening test and follow-up in cases of failure have been documented in 37,543 neonates. Of this population, 91 infants (2.4 per 1000) showed bilateral permanent hearing loss. In these children intervention and management of the family started within the first months of life. These results justify the effort involved in introducing universal neonatal hearing screening.