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Quantitative Assessment of Cortical Auditory-tactile Processing in Children with Disabilities
Published on: January 29, 2014
A population-based study and systematic review of hearing loss in children with cerebral palsy
Susan M Reid1, Maitreyi B Modak, Robert G Berkowitz
1Departmental Disability Research, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia. sue.reid@mcri.edu.au
Insights
Approximately 7% of children with cerebral palsy (CP) experience moderate to profound bilateral hearing loss. This study provides population-based data to better understand hearing impairment in this group.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting motor function.
- Hearing loss is a recognized comorbidity in children with CP, but its frequency and associated factors require further population-based investigation.
- Understanding the prevalence of hearing impairment is crucial for early intervention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of hearing loss in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
- To identify factors associated with hearing loss in this population.
- To describe hearing characteristics in a sample of children with CP and hearing loss.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of international literature was conducted, extracting data on hearing loss frequency from 14 datasets.
- Population-based data from 685 children with CP (born 1999-2004 in Victoria, Australia) were analyzed.
- Children with established post-neonatal causes for CP before age 2 were included; data on 48 children with documented hearing loss were collected.
Main Results:
- Reported hearing loss in CP registries varied significantly (4-13%), as did severe hearing loss (2-12%).
- In the Victorian sample, 7% of individuals with CP had moderate to profound bilateral hearing loss.
- A severe to profound degree of hearing loss affected 3-4% of the CP population in Victoria.
Conclusions:
- Population-based data offer a more accurate estimation of hearing loss frequency in children with CP compared to previous reviews.
- These findings highlight the significant prevalence of hearing impairment in children with CP.
- Further research into associated factors and specific hearing profiles is warranted.
Aim:
The aims of this study were to estimate the frequency of hearing loss in children with cerebral palsy (CP), to examine factors associated with hearing loss, and to describe aspects of hearing in a population sample of children with CP and hearing loss.
Method:
A systematic review of the international literature was undertaken, and data on the frequency of hearing loss or severe hearing loss were extracted from 14 data sets based on previously devised criteria. Six hundred and eight-five children with CP (406 males, 279 females) born in Victoria, Australia, between 1999 and 2004 were identified from the Victorian Cerebral Palsy Register. Children were included if they had an established post neonatal cause for their CP before the age of 2 years. Additional information was collected on 48 children with documented hearing loss based on a four-tone pure tone average in the better ear.
Results:
There was considerable variation in the definitions and proportions of hearing loss (range 4-13%) and severe hearing loss (range 2-12%) reported by CP registries in developed countries. In Victoria, 7% of individuals with CP had bilateral hearing loss of a moderate to profound degree, whereas the subgroup with a severe-profound degree of loss constituted 3% to 4% of the CP population.
Interpretation:
These population-based data are likely to more accurately reflect the true frequency of defined hearing loss in children with CP than previous reviews.
