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Published on: January 23, 2017
Hearing screening and diagnostic evaluation of children with unilateral and mild bilateral hearing loss
Danielle S Ross1, W June Holstrum, Marcus Gaffney
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. dross3@cdc.gov
Insights
Newborn hearing screening misses many cases of unilateral and mild bilateral hearing loss. Early identification is crucial to prevent developmental and educational issues in children.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Over 90% of US newborns undergo hearing screening.
- Current screening methods often fail to detect unilateral and mild bilateral hearing loss.
- Undiagnosed hearing loss can lead to developmental and educational challenges in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the underidentification of unilateral and mild bilateral hearing loss in infants and children.
- To identify challenges and propose future research directions for early hearing detection and intervention.
Main Methods:
- Convened a workshop with experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program and the Marion Downs Hearing Center.
- Discussed issues related to screening and diagnosing unilateral and mild bilateral hearing loss.
- Formulated recommendations for future research.
Main Results:
- Identified key issues including lack of standardized definitions for hearing loss types.
- Highlighted limitations of current screening protocols designed for moderate or greater hearing loss.
- Noted challenges with equipment calibration, access to comprehensive audiological services, and professional/public awareness.
Conclusions:
- There is a critical need for improved methods to identify unilateral and mild bilateral hearing loss in infants and children.
- Standardized definitions, updated screening protocols, and increased awareness are essential.
- Further research is recommended to enhance early detection and intervention strategies.
Abstract:
More than 90% of newborns in the United States are now being screened for hearing loss. A large fraction of cases of unilateral hearing loss and mild bilateral hearing loss are not currently identified through newborn hearing screening. This is of concern because a preponderance of research has demonstrated that unilateral hearing loss and mild bilateral hearing loss can lead to developmental delays and educational problems for some children. To help address this probable underidentification of unilateral hearing loss and mild bilateral hearing loss among infants and children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program and the Marion Downs Hearing Center convened a workshop in Breckenridge, Colorado, in July 2005. During this workshop, several issues related to screening and diagnosing unilateral hearing loss and mild bilateral hearing loss were identified, as well as recommendations for future research in this area. Issues identified included the lack of standardized definitions for permanent unilateral hearing loss and mild bilateral hearing loss; the use of screening protocols that are primarily designed to identify bilateral and unilateral hearing losses of a moderate degree or greater (eg, above 40 dB); calibration of screening equipment; availability of facilities that can provide the full range of audiologic, diagnostic, and management services to this pediatric population; and an overall lack of awareness by many professionals and families about the potential effect of unilateral hearing loss and mild bilateral hearing loss. Suggestions for future research, such as identifying ways to improve the identification of cases of unilateral hearing loss and mild bilateral hearing loss, were also discussed.
