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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses
Published on: January 23, 2017
Perinatal profile of very low birthweight infants under a universal newborn hearing screening programme in a
1College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Maternal and Child Health Unit, Department of Community Health and Primary Care, Lagos, Nigeria. boolusanya@aol.com
Insights
Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in resource-poor settings face developmental risks, including sensorineural hearing loss. Universal hearing screening is crucial for identifying these risks early.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Developmental pediatrics
- Public health in low-resource settings
Background:
- Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (
- Resource-poor settings present unique challenges in monitoring and managing VLBW infant health.
- Early identification of developmental risks, particularly hearing impairment, is critical for timely intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the perinatal profile of VLBW infants.
- To identify developmental risks, specifically hearing deficits, in VLBW infants.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a universal hearing screening program in a resource-limited environment.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study compared VLBW survivors with normal birth weight infants in Lagos, Nigeria.
- Hearing status was assessed using transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR).
- Maternal and infant factors linked to VLBW were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.
Main Results:
- VLBW was associated with maternal occupation, lack of antenatal care, low Apgar scores, and hyperbilirubinemia.
- VLBW infants showed a significantly higher rate of failed or incomplete hearing screening.
- Of infants tested with AABR, 10.5% failed, with limited follow-up for diagnostic evaluation.
Conclusions:
- VLBW infants in resource-poor settings are at elevated risk for sensorineural hearing loss.
- Perinatal outcomes in VLBW infants can compromise early childhood development.
- Universal hearing screening programs are essential for early detection and management of hearing loss in VLBW infants.
Objective:
To determine the perinatal profile and developmental risks of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (
Methods:
A case-control study of VLBW survivors matched by date of birth and sex with normal birth weight (>or=2500 g) infants delivered in an inner-city maternity hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. Hearing status was determined by two-stage screening with transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) followed by automated auditory brainstem response (AABR). Maternal and infant factors associated with VLBW were determined using unconditional and conditional multivariable logistic regression analyses.
Results:
All 45 VLBW singletons (mean weight 1.3 +/- 0.1 kg) during the study period were matched with 225 controls (mean weight 3.4 +/- 0.5 kg). VLBW was associated with maternal occupation, lack of antenatal care, low 5-minute Apgar score and hyperbilirubinemia based on unmatched and matched analyses. Additionally, VLBW infants were significantly associated with failed or incomplete hearing screening outcomes. Four (10.5%) of the 38 infants tested with AABR failed, but none returned for diagnostic evaluation and one child had previously passed TEOAE.
Conclusions:
VLBW infants in resource-poor settings are associated with the risk of sensorineural hearing loss and other perinatal outcomes that may potentially compromise their optimal development in early childhood.
