[Compliance with current standards for the early detection of neonatal hearing loss]
Andrea L Rojas-Godoy1, Olga Gómez-Gómez2, Fabio A Rivas-Muñoz3
1Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia, alrojasgo@unal.edu.co.
Insights
Healthcare institutions in Bogota are not adhering to regulations for early hearing loss detection in children. This non-compliance affects the assessment of hearing in newborns with risk factors, hindering timely intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Neonatal hearing screening is crucial for early detection of hearing loss.
- Colombian technical standards mandate specific protocols for assessing hearing in at-risk infants.
- Adherence to these standards is essential for timely intervention and developmental outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate compliance with the
- Assessment of hearing
- section of the Technical Standard for Detecting Alterations in children under 10 years old in Bogota.
- To determine if healthcare institutions are following mandated neonatal hearing screening protocols for at-risk infants.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted, reviewing medical records of infants born in Bogota between July and December 2010.
- Infants with risk factors such as hyperbilirubinemia, ototoxic exposure, or low birth weight were included.
- The study assessed whether these infants were referred for auditory evoked potential (AEP) testing as per regulations.
Main Results:
- Neither of the two studied healthcare institutions was performing the mandated auditory evoked potential (AEP) referral test for at-risk newborns.
- This indicates a significant gap in the implementation of established hearing screening protocols.
Conclusions:
- There are considerable challenges in adhering to protocols for the early detection of hearing loss in neonates.
- Non-compliance with Colombian regulations for neonatal hearing assessment requires urgent attention to improve child health outcomes.
Objective:
Assessing compliance with the section "Assessment of hearing" stipulated in the Technical Standard to Detect Alteration in children aged less than 10 years-old in Bogota.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional study which involved reviewing the medical records of all children born between July 1st and December 31st 2010 in two healthcare institutions in Bogota. Records were selected in which any of the following risk factors appeared: neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia involving phototherapy, neonatal exposure to ototoxic substances and/or <1.500 gr low birth weight. It was also ascertained whether children had been referred to an auditory evoked potential test as the prescribed screening test for neonatal hearing, as stipulated in mandatory Colombian technical standards for detecting abnormal growth and developmental in children aged less than ten years-old.
Results:
Neither of the two institutions was making the aforementioned referral test.
Discussion:
The results indicated significant difficulties in adherence to the protocol for the early detection of hearing loss regarding pertinent/current neonatal Colombian regulations.
