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Hearing disabled children--epidemiology and identification
1Department of Audiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Insights
The incidence of childhood hearing loss remains stable, but identification is delayed despite improvements. Parents most often suspect hearing disability first.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Congenital/early acquired hearing disability in children requires ongoing epidemiological evaluation.
- Previous studies from the 1970s provide a baseline for comparison.
- Understanding identification timelines and parental suspicion is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence and incidence of childhood hearing loss in Copenhagen.
- To compare current data with 1970s findings.
- To determine the age of identification and the role of parents in detection.
Main Methods:
- A population-based investigation of hearing-impaired children in Copenhagen City and County.
- Analysis of prevalence and incidence rates over a defined period.
- Evaluation of identification age and suspected source of hearing disability.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of hearing aid use decreased by 40-42%, while incidence remained stable at 0.13%.
- Median age of identification was 15-18 months; 32-48% identified by age 1 (improvement from 15-16% in the 1970s).
- Parents suspected hearing disability in 57-67% of cases; at-risk children were not identified earlier.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of congenital/early acquired hearing disability in children has not changed over a decade.
- Delayed identification persists, although early detection has improved.
- Parental suspicion plays a significant role in identifying hearing-impaired children.
Abstract:
An investigation of hearing disabled children was performed in the Copenhagen City and County in order to: evaluate the prevalence and incidence of congenital/early acquired hearing disability and delineate any change in these parameters compared to the 1970'ies; evaluate the time of identification of the hearing impaired child; indicate who first suspects the child's hearing disability. It was demonstrated that the prevalence of hearing aid treated children had been reduced with 40-42%, however, the incidence was unchanged 0.13%. An annual variance of 0.06-0.20% was present. No significant difference in the incidence was found between the two geografical areas. The median age at identification was 15-18 months, and only 32-48% of the hearing disabled children had been identified at the age of 1 year, showing an improvement in comparison to the 15-16% identified at the same age in the 1970'ies. Children, who could be registered as auditory at-risk were not identified earlier than the non-at-risk children. In 57-67% of the children the parents were the first to suspect the hearing disability. On the basis of the investigation it is concluded that the incidence of congenital/early acquired hearing disability in children is unchanged over a 10 year period, and that a delayed identification of these children is present although an improvement in the early identification has taken place.