Hearing Screening in Newborns: Bridging the Gap Between Normal and High-Risk Infants

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Audiology
• Neonatal Care

Background:

• Auditory perception is vital for early language and social development.
• Undetected hearing impairment negatively impacts cognitive and developmental outcomes.
• Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) facilitates early identification and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• Compare hearing loss prevalence in healthy versus high-risk neonates.
• Evaluate sequential screening effectiveness (OAE followed by BERA).
• Identify risk factors for hearing loss in high-risk neonates.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study of 1,460 neonates (945 healthy, 515 high-risk).
• Initial otoacoustic emissions (OAE) screening within 48 hours, repeat testing after two weeks.
• Brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) for confirmation within three months for non-passers.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of confirmed hearing loss: 5.3/1,000 healthy neonates vs. 23.3/1,000 high-risk neonates.
• BERA confirmed hearing impairment in 17 infants, primarily in the high-risk group.
• Sequential OAE and BERA screening demonstrated effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• High-risk neonates have a significantly higher prevalence of confirmed hearing loss.
• Hearing impairment occurs even in infants without identifiable risk factors, underscoring UNHS importance.
• Sequential OAE and BERA screening is effective for early and accurate diagnosis of neonatal hearing loss.