After a first prelingually deaf child, does the family learn a lesson?
Yazeed Al-Shawi1, Lulu Saleh Aldhwaihy2, Amerah Mansour Bin Zuair2
1From the Department of Otolaryngology, King Abdullah Ear Specialist Center, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Annals of Saudi Medicine
|October 4, 2019
Summary
Families with a second child born with congenital sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) seek treatment significantly earlier than for their first child. Parental experience and knowledge accelerate the identification and intervention process for subsequent affected children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Genetics and Genomics
- Public Health
Background:
- Congenital sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a prevalent childhood disability impacting language and education.
- Delayed cochlear implantation and intervention negatively affect outcomes for affected children.
- Limited family knowledge and experience with SNHL contribute to delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare treatment-seeking behaviors in families for a first versus a second child diagnosed with congenital SNHL.
- To identify factors influencing the timing of intervention for pediatric SNHL.
Main Methods:
- An analytical, cross-sectional study utilizing medical records from an ear specialist hospital in Riyadh.
- Data collected from 116 pairs of siblings (58 families) with congenital SNHL, comparing timing of suspicion, audiological testing, diagnosis, hearing aid fitting, and cochlear implant decisions.
- Timing differences in seeking treatment between the first and second affected child were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The second child in families with congenital SNHL was suspected of hearing loss 13.6 months earlier and presented for cochlear implant decisions 16.7 months earlier than the first child.
- Statistically significant differences (P<.001) were observed in the mean ages for suspicion, hospital presentation, audiological evaluation, hearing aid fitting, diagnosis, and cochlear implant decision between siblings.
- These findings highlight the impact of prior experience on the speed of intervention.
Conclusions:
- Family experience and knowledge significantly enhance early identification of SNHL in children.
- Implementing public educational programs is crucial to raise awareness about recognizing hearing loss in children and guiding families on necessary steps.
- Early intervention through timely diagnosis and treatment, facilitated by parental experience, improves outcomes for children with congenital SNHL.
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