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Published on: January 23, 2017
Initial outcomes from universal newborn hearing screening in Avon
R J Sim1, S Matthew, R J Foley
1Department of Otolaryngology, Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, UK. Richard.Sim@dchft.nhs.uk
Insights
Newborn hearing screening in Avon identified 54 children with hearing loss. The effective program identified potential auditory neuropathy and impacted cochlear implant services.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- The Avon Area Health Authority was an early adopter of universal newborn hearing screening in the UK.
- Assessing the effectiveness and impact of this screening program is crucial for optimizing pediatric audiological care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the outcomes of the Avon universal newborn hearing screening program.
- To evaluate the program's impact on other services, such as cochlear implantation.
- To assess the long-term results for children identified through screening.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the Avon universal newborn hearing screening program.
- Inclusion of children identified between April 2002 and July 2006.
Main Results:
- 54 children with bilateral hearing impairment (>40 dBHL) were identified from approximately 44,000 screened infants.
- Seven children received cochlear implants, with nine initially considered.
- 13 children were diagnosed with potential auditory neuropathy or dys-synchrony.
Conclusions:
- The universal newborn hearing screening program in Avon proved effective.
- Further review of specific aspects may be necessary to enhance patient care and outcomes.
Objective:
The Avon Area Health Authority was a first-phase site for introduction of universal newborn screening in the UK. The aims of this study were: to review the programme's results to date; to assess the impact screening would have on other services (e.g. the cochlear implant programme); and to assess the longer term outcome for children identified by the screening programme.
Patients:
All children identified by the Avon universal newborn hearing screening programme between April 2002 and July 2006.
Results:
Fifty-four children with a bilateral hearing impairment of worse than 40 dBHL were identified from a screened population of approximately 44 000. Nine of these children were put forward for cochlear implantation, and seven had been implanted at the time of writing. Thirteen of these children were identified with possible auditory neuropathy or dys-synchrony. All the newborn hearing screening programme criteria assessed were met.
Conclusions:
The screening programme was effective. Some areas may need review in order to optimise patient care.
