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Impact of co-occurring birth defects on the timing of newborn hearing screening and diagnosis
Derek A Chapman1, Caroline C Stampfel, Joann N Bodurtha
1Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA. dachapman@vcu.edu
Insights
Co-occurring birth defects (CBDs) in newborns significantly delay hearing loss (HL) screening and diagnosis. Early intervention is crucial for development, but CBDs impede timely HL detection and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric audiology
- Neonatal screening
- Birth defect registries
Background:
- Early detection of hearing loss (HL) before 6 months is critical for infant development.
- Timely intervention services mitigate negative developmental outcomes.
- Co-occurring birth defects (CBDs) may impact the efficiency of newborn hearing screening and diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of CBDs on the timeliness of hearing screening and diagnosis in newborns.
- To analyze population-based registry data to understand delays in HL detection for infants with CBDs.
Main Methods:
- Linked statewide data from newborn hearing screenings, birth defects registry, and birth certificates.
- Compared hearing screening and diagnosis timeliness for infants with and without CBDs.
- Analyzed data from 485 children with confirmed hearing loss.
Main Results:
- 31.5% of infants with hearing loss had one or more co-occurring birth defects.
- The presence of CBDs was associated with prolonged initial infant hearing screening times.
- Delays in initial screening contributed to further delays in diagnosing hearing loss.
Conclusions:
- Co-occurring birth defects complicate and delay the diagnosis of hearing loss in newborns.
- Improved coordination of hearing loss assessment within treatment plans for children with CBDs is needed.
- Earlier diagnosis and intervention for hearing loss in infants with CBDs can positively impact long-term developmental outcomes.
Purpose:
Early detection of hearing loss in all newborns and timely intervention are critical to children's cognitive, verbal, behavioral, and social development. The initiation of appropriate early intervention services before 6 months of age can prevent or reduce negative developmental consequences. The purpose of this study was to assess, using large, population-based registries, the effect of co-occurring birth defects (CBDs) on the timing and overall rate of hearing screening and diagnosis.
Method:
The authors linked statewide data from newborn hearing screenings, a birth defects registry, and birth certificates to assess the timeliness of newborn hearing screening and diagnosis of hearing loss (HL) for infants with and without CBDs in 485 children with confirmed HL.
Results:
Nearly one third (31.5%) of children with HL had 1 or more CBDs. The presence of CBDs prolonged the time of the initial infant hearing screening, which contributed to further delays in the subsequent diagnosis of HL.
Conclusions:
Better coordination of HL assessment into treatment plans for children with CBDs may enable earlier diagnosis of HL and provide opportunities for intervention that will affect long-term developmental outcomes for these children.
