Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 1, 2025
Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Does universal newborn hearing screening impact the timing of deafness treatment?
Marina Faistauer1, Alice Lang Silva2, Daniela de Oliveira Ruiz Dominguez3
1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Insights
Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS) helps diagnose and treat hearing loss earlier. However, children who passed UNHS but were later diagnosed experienced significant delays in care.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Early detection of hearing loss is crucial for child development.
- Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS) aims to identify infants with hearing impairments shortly after birth.
- Timely intervention can significantly improve outcomes for children with hearing loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effect of Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS) on the age of hearing loss diagnosis.
- To determine the impact of UNHS on the initiation of treatment for hearing loss.
- To evaluate the influence of UNHS on the timing of cochlear implant surgery.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study involving children up to 12 years old with bilateral hearing loss.
- Comparison of age at evaluation, treatment initiation, and cochlear implantation between children with and without UNHS.
- Subanalysis of children within the UNHS group based on screening results (pass vs. fail).
Main Results:
- Children who underwent UNHS were diagnosed and began treatment at a significantly younger age compared to those who did not (p < 0.001).
- Median age at first specialist appointment was 1.42 years, 2.00 years for treatment initiation, and 2.83 years for cochlear implant surgery.
- Children who passed UNHS but were later diagnosed showed a greater delay in evaluation and treatment initiation compared to those who failed the screening.
Conclusions:
- Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS) positively impacts the timeliness of hearing loss diagnosis and treatment initiation.
- A notable delay in care was observed in children who passed the initial UNHS but were subsequently diagnosed with hearing loss.
- Further investigation into the reasons for delayed diagnosis in children who pass UNHS is warranted.
Objective:
To evaluate the impact of the Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS) on the age at diagnosis, beginning of treatment, and first cochlear implant surgery.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study with children up to 12 years old with bilateral hearing loss were divided into two groups: patients who underwent UNHS and the ones who didn't. The groups were compared according to their age at the beginning of the evaluation at a specialized center, at the beginning of the intervention, and, for the ones who had indication, at the cochlear implant surgery. The group who underwent UNHS was divided between the ones who passed the screening test and the ones who didn't. They were compared according to their ages at the same moments as the first two groups.
Results:
135 patients were included. The median age at the first appointment in a specialized center was 1.42 (0.50 and 2.50) years, at the beginning of treatment 2.00 (1.00 and 3.52) years, and the cochlear implant surgery 2.83 (1.83 and 4.66) years. Children who underwent UNHS were younger than those who didn't, at the three evaluated moments (p < 0.001). In a subanalysis, children who passed the UNHS but were later diagnosed with hearing loss reached the first appointment with a specialist and started treatment older than those who failed the tests.
Conclusion:
Performing UNHS interfered with the timing of deafness diagnosis and treatment. However, children who passed the screening but were later diagnosed with hearing loss were the category with the most important delay.
More Related Videos
08:30Neonatal Murine Cochlear Explant Technique as an In Vitro Screening Tool in Hearing Research
Published on: June 8, 2017
14:05Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses
Published on: January 23, 2017