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Delays in Infant Hearing Detection and Intervention During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Commentary
Carolyn M Jenks1, Melinda DeSell1, Jonathan Walsh1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic delayed critical newborn hearing screening, diagnosis, and intervention. Up to 50% of infants with hearing loss in Maryland may have faced diagnosis delays, impacting speech development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Audiology
Background:
- Early detection and intervention for congenital hearing loss are vital for infant speech and language development.
- Recommended timelines for newborn hearing screening, diagnosis, and intervention are 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted these critical timelines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on congenital hearing loss care pathways.
- To estimate the proportion of infants experiencing delayed diagnosis of hearing loss.
- To identify challenges in hearing loss intervention services.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of hearing health care access and service delivery during the pandemic.
- Estimation of diagnostic delays for infants with hearing loss in Maryland in 2021.
- Review of factors affecting intervention initiation and availability.
Main Results:
- The pandemic led to delays in screening, diagnosis, and intervention for congenital hearing loss.
- Increased out-of-hospital births and healthcare service shortages likely reduced newborn screening rates.
- An estimated 50% of infants with hearing loss in Maryland in 2021 may have experienced diagnostic delays.
- Interventions were affected by delayed initiation, reduced availability, and lack of in-person services.
Conclusions:
- Delayed diagnosis and treatment of congenital hearing loss can have significant long-term effects on individuals and public health.
- The full impact of these delays on pediatric hearing health is yet to be determined.
- Healthcare providers have opportunities to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on pediatric hearing care.
Abstract:
Early detection and intervention for congenital hearing loss are critical for speech and language development. Newborns should receive hearing screening, diagnosis, and intervention by 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays in each step of this process. Increased out-of-hospital births and shortages of essential health care services likely reduced the proportion of newborns completing screening. Additional factors have contributed to delayed diagnosis. We estimate that up to 50% of infants born with hearing loss in Maryland in 2021 may be delayed in diagnosis. Hearing loss interventions have been affected due to delayed initiation, reduced availability, and lack of in-person services. Delayed diagnosis and treatment of congenital hearing loss are likely to have significant effects on individual patients and public health, the full magnitude of which will not be known for years. Opportunities exist for providers to mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on pediatric hearing health care.
