Neonatal Hearing Screening: Challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Neonatal care
• Public health

Background:

• Newborn hearing screening (NBHS) is crucial for early detection of hearing loss.
• The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges to healthcare delivery, including audiology services.
• Disruptions in routine medical care may impact follow-up for critical newborn services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 protocols on newborn hearing screenings.
• To determine the rate of missed initial hearing tests due to pandemic-related restrictions.
• To assess follow-up losses in newborns referred for audiology evaluations during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of newborns referred for audiology.
• Inclusion criteria: failed or missed initial newborn hearing screening (NBHS).
• Data collected from June to December 2020 at an academic, tertiary care medical center.

Main Results:

• 43 newborns were included; 15 (34.9%) missed initial hearing tests due to COVID-19 protocols.
• Among those missing tests, 7 had mothers who refused COVID-19 screening, with 5 lost to follow-up (11.6%).
• Another 7 had COVID-19-positive mothers, with 1 lost to follow-up (2.3%). One case with pending maternal test was also lost.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 protocols significantly disrupted newborn hearing screenings.
• Maternal COVID-19 status and screening refusal were key factors in missed appointments and follow-up losses.
• Ensuring audiology access and follow-up is vital, especially during public health crises.