Newborn hearing screening in infants with cleft palates

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Pediatric Otolaryngology
• Craniofacial Anomalies

Background:

• Conductive hearing loss from serous effusion is common in infants with cleft palate.
• Early detection of hearing impairment is crucial for speech and language development in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the outcomes of newborn hearing screening in infants diagnosed with cleft palate.
• To identify factors associated with persistent hearing loss in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort review of 114 newborns with cleft palate (1999-2005).
• Analysis of hearing screening results, tympanostomy tube placement outcomes, and audiograms.
• Collection of data on sex, gestational period, screening type, post-tube hearing loss, and associated syndromes.

Main Results:

• 72% of newborns with cleft palate passed their initial hearing screen.
• Among those who failed and received tympanostomy tubes, 43% had persistent hearing loss.
• Cleft palate alone, female sex, and associated syndromes predicted persistent hearing loss.

Conclusions:

• Newborns with cleft palate demonstrate an elevated risk of failing newborn hearing screening.
• Diagnosing hearing loss unrelated to middle ear effusions is challenging in cleft palate patients due to high rates of otitis media.