Initiators in processes leading to hearing loss identification in Finnish children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Audiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Hearing loss is a common congenital disability.
• Early diagnosis and intervention are critical for speech and language development.
• Understanding detection pathways informs public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the pathways leading to hearing loss diagnosis in children.
• To identify the primary triggers for hearing loss detection.
• To analyze the timing and effectiveness of different detection methods.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 328 children diagnosed with hearing loss (>30 dB HL) and fitted with hearing aids.
• Categorization of detection methods: risk factor initiation, parental suspicion, and well-baby clinic screening.
• Analysis of the age of suspicion and correlation with language development milestones.

Main Results:

• Risk factors initiated detection in 31% of cases.
• Parental suspicion accounted for 26% of diagnoses, often emerging between 1.5-3.4 years.
• Well-baby clinic screening identified 20% of hearing loss cases, effective across hearing loss severities.

Conclusions:

• Parental suspicion is a significant driver for hearing loss diagnosis in children.
• Timely access to audiological services is essential for parents concerned about hearing impairment.
• Screening programs should be optimized to complement parental awareness and risk factor identification.