The importance of retesting the hearing screening as an indicator of the real early hearing disorder
Daniela Polo Camargo da Silva1, Priscila Suman Lopez2, Georgea Espíndola Ribeiro1
1Secretariat of Health of the State of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Graduate Program, General Basic Surgery, Botucatu Medicine School, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
Insights
Newborn hearing screening effectiveness is not impacted by gender, birth weight, or gestational age. However, screening in intermediate care units may increase the likelihood of a failed retest result for hearing loss.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
- Neonatal Care
Background:
- Early detection of hearing loss is crucial for optimal child development.
- Understanding factors influencing newborn hearing screening effectiveness is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between demographic and clinical factors and newborn hearing screening outcomes.
- Investigate the impact of screening venue on retest results.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 565 newborns utilizing transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE).
- Screening conducted in three admission units before discharge, with retests in an outpatient clinic.
- Data collected on gender, birth weight, gestational age, hearing loss risk factors, and screening venue.
Main Results:
- 11% of newborns had identified risk factors for hearing loss; 14% were preterm.
- Among 165 retested infants, only the Intermediate Care Unit venue was significantly associated with a 'fail' retest result.
- Gender, birth weight, and gestational age did not correlate with screening outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Demographic factors (gender, birth weight, gestational age) and presence of risk factors do not predict newborn hearing screening retest results.
- Screening newborns in Intermediate Care Units is linked to a higher probability of a failed TEOAE retest.
- Further investigation into venue-specific screening protocols is warranted.
Introduction:
Early diagnosis of hearing loss minimizes its impact on child development. We studied factors that influence the effectiveness of screening programs.
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between gender, weight at birth, gestational age, risk factors for hearing loss, venue for newborn hearing screening and "pass" and "fail" results in the retest.
Methods:
Prospective cohort study was carried out in a tertiary referral hospital. The screening was performed in 565 newborns through transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in three admission units before hospital discharge and retest in the outpatient clinic. Gender, weight at birth, gestational age, presence of risk indicators for hearing loss and venue for newborn hearing screening were considered.
Results:
Full-term infants comprised 86% of the cases, preterm 14%, and risk factors for hearing loss were identified in 11%. Considering the 165 newborns retested, only the venue for screening, Intermediate Care Unit, was related to "fail" result in the retest.
Conclusions:
Gender, weight at birth, gestational age and presence of risk factors for hearing loss were not related to "pass" and/or "fail" results in the retest. The screening performed in intermediate care units increases the chance of continued "fail" result in the Transient Otoacoustic Evoked Emissions test.
