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Hearing deficits correlated with the timing of systemic disturbance as indicated by primary incisor defects
Insights
Timing of prenatal insults correlates with hearing and enamel defects in children. Early gestational insults are linked to more severe hearing loss and neurological issues, indicating developmental susceptibility.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Hearing deficits and enamel defects can co-occur in children.
- Systemic insults during prenatal development may impact multiple organ systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between hearing deficits and enamel defects in children.
- To determine if the timing of prenatal insults influences the severity of audiological and neurological outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated 18 children for hearing deficits and enamel defects.
- Assessed enamel defects to estimate the timing of prenatal systemic insults.
- Correlated hearing loss severity with estimated gestational age of insult.
Main Results:
- Eleven children had enamel defects, with timing ranging from mid-trimester to near term.
- Hearing loss was significantly more severe in children with mid-trimester enamel defects (mean 70 dB) compared to those with defects near term (mean 23 dB).
- A strong negative correlation (r = -0.78, p < 0.01) was found between hearing loss severity and the estimated gestational age of the insult.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal insult timing is correlated with the severity of hearing loss and enamel defects.
- Early gestational insults appear to increase susceptibility to more severe audiological and neurological impairments.
- Findings suggest differential developmental susceptibility of audiological and neurological structures to timing-based insults.
Abstract:
A correlation of hearing deficits and enamel defects was investigated in 18 children presenting to a pediatric neurology service for hearing evaluation. Eleven had enamel defects. Five had defects consistent with a systemic insult occurring as early as 14 weeks gestation, two between 29 to 33 weeks gestation, and four near term. Hearing loss was more severe in the five with enamel defects occurring in the mid-trimester (mean = 70 dB), than in the four subjects with defects occurring around term (mean = 23 dB) (t = 3.8; p less than 0.01). Of the remaining two subjects, one had normal hearing and the other had a moderate loss. A correlation was found between the average degree of hearing loss (in dB) versus the estimated time of systemic insult in weeks gestational age as indicated by position of the tooth defect (r = -0.78; p less than 0.01). Neurological profiles also differed with those having early defects being more severe. These findings suggest a differential susceptibility for developing audiological (and possibly other neurological) structures based on insult timing.