Newborn Hearing Screening-Polish Experience: A Narrative Review.

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Public health initiatives
• Genetics and hearing loss

Background:

• Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS) is vital for early detection of infant hearing loss.
• Hearing impairment affects 2-4 per 1000 newborns, with sensorineural hearing loss being most common.
• Risk factors include genetics, prematurity, and congenital infections like cytomegalovirus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and outcomes of Poland's nationwide UNHS program.
• To identify challenges and areas for improvement in neonatal hearing screening.
• To discuss emerging treatments like gene therapy for hearing loss.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Poland's national UNHS program data.
• Review of scientific literature on neonatal hearing loss prevalence and risk factors.
• Exploration of advancements in hearing loss treatment, including gene therapy.

Main Results:

• Poland's UNHS program successfully adheres to international standards.
• Key challenges include limited parental awareness and access disparities.
• Gene therapy shows promise as a future treatment for hearing loss.

Conclusions:

• The Polish UNHS program is effective but requires ongoing enhancements.
• Addressing parental awareness and access is crucial for program success.
• Gene therapy represents a hopeful future direction for treating congenital hearing loss.