[Early diagnosis and intervention in 0-9 months old infants with hearing loss]
Insights
Early diagnosis and intervention for infant hearing loss are close to international standards, but some infants still lack diagnosis or hearing aid fitting. Further efforts are needed to improve early detection and treatment for hearing loss in infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Infant hearing loss requires timely diagnosis and intervention for optimal developmental outcomes.
- Early detection and management are crucial for mitigating the long-term effects of hearing impairment in infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current status of early diagnosis and intervention for infants aged 0-9 months with hearing loss.
- To identify factors influencing the timeliness and effectiveness of early diagnosis and intervention in this population.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 186 infants (February-September 2014) referred for hearing assessment due to failed screening or outer ear malformation.
- Evaluation of diagnostic and intervention records for infants undergoing early diagnosis and/or intervention procedures.
Main Results:
- 167 out of 186 infants (89.8%) received a diagnosis by an average age of 4.0 months.
- Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was the most common diagnosis (59.3%), with 44.9% bilateral and 14.4% unilateral.
- Hearing aid fitting rates varied significantly by SNHL severity, with 30.7% of bilateral SNHL cases fitted; average intervention age was 5.0 months.
Conclusions:
- The early diagnosis and intervention rates for infant hearing loss in this cohort approach international standards.
- Gaps remain in achieving final diagnoses for all infants and ensuring hearing aid fitting for those diagnosed with hearing loss.
- Continued research and advocacy are essential to enhance early diagnosis and intervention services for infants with hearing loss.
Objective:
To investigate the current situation of early diagnosis and intervention in 0-9 months old infants with hearing loss and analysis factors that will affect early diagnosis and intervention.
Method:
One hundred and eighty-six infants referred to the West China hospital from February 2014 to September 2014 were included. All 186 children were referred due to the fact that either they failed infant hearing screening or outer ear malformation. Early diagnosis and/or intervention were performed on those 186 children and their records of early diagnosis and intervention were analyzed.
Result:
Among the 186 infants, 167 (89.8%) were diagnosed with an average age at (4.0 ± 1.4) months. Among the 167 infants with final diagnosis, there were 31 (18.6%) infants diagnosed as conductive hearing loss (CHL), and 99 cases (59.3%) diagnosed as sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), among whom, there were 75 (44.9%) bilateral SNHL and 24 (14.4%) unilateral SNHL. There were 2 cases (1.20%) with SNHL on one side and atresia on the other side. 5 (2.99%) of all conductive hearing loss cases with unilateral atresia and 2 cases with auditory neuropathy (AN) were found. 33 infants (19.8%) were found to have normal hearing. 30.7% (23/75) infants diagnosed as bilateral SNHL and 8.3% (2/24) infants diagnosed as unilateral SNHL were fitted with hearing aids. The fitting rate in infants with bilateral SNHL with mild, moderate, severe to profound degrees were 0 (0/23), 24.0% (6/25), 66.7% (6/9), 61.1% (11/18) respectively. The average intervention age was (5.0 ± 2.1) months.
Conclusion:
Although the early diagnosis and intervention situation in this study are very close to international standard, there are still infants without final diagnosis and infants with hearing loss without hearing aid fitting. Further studies and efforts to promote early diagnosis and intervention in infants with hearing loss are needed.
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