Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 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
Screening for hearing loss versus parental concern regarding hearing problems: Subsequent referral and treatment for
Willeke Lok1, Lucien J C Anteunis, Michelene N Chenault
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Zwijndrecht, The Netherlands. w.lok@asz.nl
Objective:
The present study investigates whether general practitioner (GP) consultation initiated by failing the population hearing screening at age nine months or GP consultation because of parental concern over ear/hearing problems was more important in deciding on referral and/or surgical treatment of otitis media (OM).
Design:
A questionnaire covering the history between birth and 21 months of age was used to obtain information on referral after failing the hearing screening, GP consultations for ear/hearing problems, and subsequent referral to a specialist and possible surgical treatment at an ENT department.
Setting:
The province of Limburg, the Netherlands.
Subjects:
Healthy infants invited for the hearing screening at age nine months, who responded in an earlier study called PEPPER (Persistent Ear Problems, Providing Evidence for Referral, response rate 58%).
Main Outcome Measures:
The odds of a child being surgically treated for OM.
Results:
The response rate for the present questionnaire was 72%. Of all children tested, 3.9% failed the hearing screening and were referred to their GP. Of all 2619 children in this study, 18.6% visited their GP with ear/hearing problems. Children failing the hearing screening without GP consultation for ear/hearing problems were significantly more often treated surgically for OM than children passing the hearing screening but with GP consultation for ear/hearing problems.
Conclusion:
Objectified hearing loss, i.e. failing the hearing screening, was important in the decision for surgical treatment in infants in the Netherlands.
