Newborn Hearing Screening: Early Ear Examination Improves the Pass Rate
Yehuda Schwarz1, Roye Mauthner1, Oded Kraus1
1Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Assuta Ashdod Samson University Hospital, Ashdod, Israel; Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beer Sheba, Israel.
The Journal of International Advanced Otology
|October 4, 2023
Summary
Cleaning earwax (vernix) in newborns before hospital discharge significantly reduces false-positive results in hearing screening tests. This simple intervention improves accuracy and lowers healthcare burdens.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Audiology
- Public health
Background:
- Vernix accumulation in newborn ear canals can cause temporary hearing loss, leading to inaccurate screening results.
- Universal neonatal hearing screening aims to detect hearing impairments early.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess if ear examination and cleaning reduce false-positive rates in newborn hearing screening.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of pre-discharge intervention for neonatal hearing screening accuracy.
Main Methods:
- A case series of 42 newborns who initially failed otoacoustic emissions screening was analyzed.
- Otoacoustic emissions screening was performed before and after vernix cleaning.
Main Results:
- Following vernix cleaning, 75.9% of initially failed ears passed rescreening.
- The overall false-positive rate for hearing screening decreased significantly from 7.61% to 1.63% (P < .00001).
- Only 2 out of 42 newborns showed true bilateral hearing loss after intervention.
Conclusions:
- Cleaning vernix in newborns before hospital discharge effectively lowers the false-positive rate of hearing screening.
- This practice can reduce unnecessary follow-up tests, healthcare costs, and parental anxiety.
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