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Neonatal screening for detection of deafness
Insights
Early infant deafness screening using acoustic tests and "at risk" registers proved insufficient. A restricted "at risk" register is recommended for cost-effectiveness in identifying hearing loss in newborns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Early detection of deafness in newborns is crucial for timely intervention.
- Existing screening methods require evaluation for efficacy and practicality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of an acoustic signal generator hearing test (Apriton) and an "at risk" for deafness register in identifying hearing loss in a newborn population.
- To determine the most suitable method for early deafness detection in infants.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 17,731 newborns in the Jerusalem area.
- Application of the "at risk" for deafness register to identify high-risk infants.
- Screening of all newborns using the Apriton acoustic signal generator hearing test.
Main Results:
- Twenty-five infants were identified with deafness (14 severe/profound, 11 moderate/moderately severe).
- The Apriton test demonstrated insufficient sensitivity for newborn deafness screening.
- The comprehensive "at risk" register (20% of newborns) was found to be expensive and impractical.
Conclusions:
- The Apriton screening test is not recommended for widespread newborn screening.
- A restricted "at risk" register, covering approximately 7% of newborns, is proposed as a more practical and cost-effective approach for identifying infants with potential hearing loss.
Abstract:
To assess various methods of early detection of deafness, a longtudinal study of infants born in the Jerusalem area was performed. The 17,731 newborns were tested by an acoustic signal generator hearing test (Apriton), and the "at risk" for deafness register was applied to them. Twenty-five children were identified as deaf, 14 with severe or profound hearing loss and 11 with moderate or moderately severe loss. The screening hearing test did not prove to be sensitive enough for detection of deafness in newborns, and, therefore, is not considered valid for screening purposes. The at risk for deafness register, which in our program covered 20% of the entire newborn population, proved to be to expensive and impractical; a restricted register, including approximately 7% of the newborns, is suggested.