Hearing loss assessed by universal newborn hearing screening--the new approach

Universal hearing screening at the delivery centers enable early detection of hearing impairment. Since the 2002, hearing screening in neonates is performed in all Croatian delivery centers. The aim of this study was to propose the retest after 3 weeks period to those neonates with presumably hearing impairment demonstrated by evoked otoacoustic emission (E-OAE) method. Second aim was to asses the prevalence of hearing impairment in the Northern Adriatic region of Croatia.

Investigation has been conducted at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital in Rijeka, Croatia, in the period from 16 October 2002 to 31 December 2006. The hearing screening was performed in all newborns immediately before their discharge from the hospital, using the E-OAE method. Newborns with a possibility of hearing impairment were invited for retesting after 3 weeks, using the same method. Those newborns, whose repeated screening suggested a possible hearing impairment, were sent to an audiologist.

The hearing screening was performed by E-OAE method in 11.746 (98.9%) out of 11.869 newborns. The positive result indicating hearing impairment had 5.7% (676) children. These children where retested 3 weeks later using same method and only 128 (1.1%) of them still had positive results. Definite bilateral hearing impairment was confirmed by audiologists in seven children, which accounts for the total incidence of hearing impairment of 0.6 per thousand.

Universal newborn hearing screening provides early detection of hearing loss. Retesting after 3 weeks with the same-E-OAE method we raised the specificity of E-OAE method, eliminating false-positive results (4.2%), decreased the attendance of healthy children to the audiologist center and most likely lowering the total costs and eventual parental and/or children stress.