Neonatal Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP): At A Rural Based Tertiary Care Centre

Deafness is the most common curable childhood handicap. It is a well recognised fact that unidentified hearing impairment can adversely affect optimal speech and language development and therefore academic, social and emotional development. Universal neonatal hearing screening programmes are implemented in many developed countries. However it is still in its early stage in India. The incidence of hearing impairment in India is 1-6 per thousand newborns screened (Paediatrics 19:155-165, 1998; Indian J Paediatr 74(6):545-549, 2007; Status of Disability in India, pp 172-185 2000). To determine the incidence of permanent hearing loss of moderate to evere variety in neonates taking care in a tertiary care rural based hospital in Gujarat. It was a non randomised observational study done for duration of 3 years. All neonates born in Shri Krishna Hospital underwent screening using two stage protocols with DPOAE test and final confirmation done with BERA. Total 2534 neonates were screened out of them 52 failed and 2482 (97.94 %) neonates passed in the 1st DPOAE test with 2.05 % refer rate. Total 7 (2 per 1000) neonates were detected with hearing impairment. 10 % neonates had one or other high risk factor. Out of high risk neonates, 1.8 % were diagnosed with hearing impairment in high risk group. Overall the follow-up rate was 72.7 %. Hospital based universal hearing screening of new born before discharge is feasible at a rural based tertiary care centre. Non specialist staff is invaluable in achieving a satisfactory referral rate with two stage hearing screening protocol. However, more efficacious tracking and follow up system is needed to improve the follow up rate for diagnosis.