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Effect of Neonatal Hearing Screening Results on the Lost to Follow-Up at the Diagnostic Level
Grażyna Greczka1, Piotr Dąbrowski1, Monika Zych1
1Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznań, Poland.
Insights
Many infants need follow-up hearing tests after neonatal screening. However, over 40% of parents miss these crucial audiological visits, delaying diagnosis for children with hearing loss.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Neonatal Care
- Public Health
Background:
- Neonatal hearing screening is critical for early detection of hearing loss.
- Monitoring diagnostic follow-up visits is essential for confirming hearing status.
- Timeliness of audiological assessment significantly impacts diagnosis and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the number of children attending diagnostic visits post-neonatal screening.
- To analyze the timing of the first audiological visit based on screening results and risk factors.
- To investigate parental adherence to scheduled audiological appointments.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 6,580,524 infants undergoing neonatal hearing screening.
- Identification of children (8.9%) requiring further diagnostic evaluation.
- Comparison of follow-up visit times based on hearing risk factors and screening outcomes.
Main Results:
- The mean follow-up diagnostic visit occurred at 130 days, varying with risk factor presence.
- Children with risk factors have a 2.31 to 6.38 times higher risk of hearing loss.
- Over 40% of parents failed to attend scheduled audiological visits for their children.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers play a vital role in educating parents about hearing loss risks.
- Emphasizing the necessity of audiological examinations is crucial for parental engagement.
- Improving parental adherence to follow-up appointments is key to timely diagnosis and management of infant hearing loss.
Abstract:
(1) Background: An important part of any neonatal hearing screening program is monitoring diagnostic visits to confirm or exclude the presence of hearing loss. In addition, time plays an important role in the diagnosis. We identified the number of children who came for a diagnostic visit and analyzed the time of the first audiological visit, depending on the result of the hearing screening test performed in the first days of a child's life and the presence or absence of risk factors of hearing impairment. (2) Methods: We analyzed 6,580,524 children, of which 8.9% required further diagnostics. The mean time of follow-up diagnostic visit in the analyzed group was 130 days and differed due to the presence or absence of risk factors for hearing loss before and after the neonatal period. (3) Results: Although the risk of hearing loss in children with risk factors is 2.31 to 6.38 times higher than in children without risk factors depending on the result of the screening test, more than 40% of parents do not report to scheduled audiological visits. (4) Conclusions: Doctors, nurses, and midwives who screen hearing at the neonatological level play an important role in educating parents about the possibility of hearing loss in a child and the need for an audiological examination.
