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Conductive hearing loss and middle ear pathology in young infants referred through a newborn universal hearing

Sreedevi Aithal1, Venkatesh Aithal, Joseph Kei

  • 1Department of Audiology, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, QLD, Australia. Sreedevi_aithai@health.qld.gov.au

Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
|October 18, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Conductive hearing loss and middle ear pathology are common in infants referred from newborn hearing screening. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants show higher prevalence and poorer outcomes, necessitating targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Audiology
  • Public Health
  • Indigenous Health

Background:

  • Newborn hearing screening programs are widespread in Australia.
  • The prevalence of conductive hearing loss and middle ear pathology in referred infants remains largely unknown.
  • Understanding these conditions is crucial for early intervention and management in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of conductive hearing loss and middle ear pathology in infants referred from a newborn hearing screening program in North Queensland.
  • To compare these prevalence rates between Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander - ATSI) and non-Indigenous infants.
  • To review the outcomes for infants diagnosed with conductive hearing loss and middle ear pathology.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective chart review was conducted at The Townsville Hospital's Audiology Department.
  • Data from 234 infants referred from a newborn hearing screening program were analyzed.
  • Audiological tests were used for diagnosis, with results analyzed for initial and review appointments.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of conductive hearing loss was 2.97 per 1,000 newborns, and middle ear pathology was 4.36 per 1,000.
  • Indigenous (ATSI) infants exhibited significantly higher prevalence rates of both conductive hearing loss (35.19%) and middle ear pathology (44.45%) compared to non-ATSI infants (17.83% and 28.66%, respectively).
  • ATSI infants showed poorer resolution of conductive hearing loss over time, with 66.67% experiencing persistent issues compared to 17.86% of non-ATSI infants.

Conclusions:

  • Conductive hearing loss is a frequent diagnosis in infants identified through newborn hearing screening.
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants face a disproportionately higher burden of middle ear pathology and conductive hearing loss, with slower recovery.
  • Improved screening tools to differentiate hearing loss types and targeted management strategies are needed for ATSI infants.
Abstract

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