Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
The influence of newborn hearing screening on the age at cochlear implantation in children
Marc J W Lammers1, Thijs T G Jansen, Wilko Grolman
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Insights
Newborn hearing screening significantly lowered cochlear implantation age in the Netherlands, increasing early implantations. This effect was not observed in Germany, possibly due to differing follow-up protocols.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Public Health
Background:
- Early detection of hearing loss is crucial for pediatric development.
- Newborn hearing screening programs aim to identify hearing impairments shortly after birth.
- Cochlear implantation is a key intervention for severe to profound hearing loss in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of newborn hearing screening programs on the age of cochlear implantation in pediatric patients.
- To compare the effectiveness of screening programs in different healthcare systems.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective, multicenter cohort study involving 1,299 pediatric cochlear implant users (aged <5 years) from Germany and the Netherlands (1995-2011).
- Analysis of age at cochlear implantation and the proportion of children implanted within the first year of life.
- Comparison of data before and after the introduction of national newborn hearing screening programs.
Main Results:
- In the Netherlands, the introduction of newborn hearing screening led to a significant decrease in the mean age at cochlear implantation (from 2.4 to 1.2 years) and a rise in early implantations (from 9% to 37%).
- A similar significant reduction in implantation age was not observed in Germany following the screening program's introduction.
- The study identified a positive correlation between screening program implementation and earlier cochlear implantation in the Dutch cohort.
Conclusions:
- National newborn hearing screening programs can effectively reduce the age of cochlear implantation in young children, as demonstrated in the Netherlands.
- The absence of a similar effect in Germany suggests potential variations in program implementation, follow-up, and referral pathways.
- Optimizing post-screening follow-up and referral processes is critical for maximizing the benefits of newborn hearing screening for timely cochlear implantation.
Objectives/Hypothesis:
To evaluate the influence of the introduction of newborn hearing screening programs on the age at cochlear implantation in children.
Study Design:
Retrospective, multicenter cohort study.
Methods:
All 1,299 pediatric cochlear implant users who received their implants before the age of 5 years between 1995 and 2011 in the Medical University Hannover, Germany and University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands were enrolled in this study. Age at implantation and the number of children implanted within the first year of life was assessed for each center.
Results:
Age at cochlear implantation gradually declined over the years in both centers. The introduction of the screening resulted in significant decline in the age at implantation in the Netherlands; simultaneously, the number of children implanted within their first year of life increased significantly. Comparing 4-year epochs immediately before and after introduction of the screening, the mean age decreased from 2.4 to 1.2 years, and the percentage of early implanted children increased from 9% to 37%. In the German population, a similar effect of the introduction of the hearing screening program was absent.
Conclusions:
The introduction of the national newborn hearing screening program has reduced the age at cochlear implantation in young children in the Netherlands but not in Germany. Correspondingly, it resulted in an increase in the number of children implanted early in life. The difference between the Dutch and German population might be due to differences in the follow-up and referral after the hearing screening.
More Related Videos
14:05Behavioral 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
08:30Neonatal Murine Cochlear Explant Technique as an In Vitro Screening Tool in Hearing Research
Published on: June 8, 2017
