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Current Status of Pediatric Hearing Loss Cases in Oita University Hospital From 2016 to 2019
Tetsuo Watanabe1, Takashi Hirano1
1Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
Insights
Many children with hearing loss are not identified by newborn hearing screening (NHS). Further examination revealed causes including functional hearing loss and middle/inner ear malformations, highlighting challenges in pediatric hearing care.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Audiology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Newborn hearing screening (NHS) is crucial but can yield false-negative results.
- Pediatric hearing loss can lead to various developmental disorders.
- Early identification and management of hearing loss in children are vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diverse causes of pediatric hearing loss in children referred for specialized examination.
- To analyze the diagnostic outcomes for children with suspected hearing impairments.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 154 pediatric patients (3-12 years old) from January 2016 to December 2019.
- Review of patient data including reasons for consultation, NHS results, and final diagnoses.
- Categorization of hearing loss types and identification of underlying causes.
Main Results:
- 48.7% of patients were referred for hearing loss, 5.2% for speech issues.
- Significant findings included functional hearing loss (35.1%), unilateral hearing loss (31.2%), and bilateral hearing loss (11.7%).
- Of those with substantial hearing loss, 61% had unknown causes, and 39% had middle or inner ear malformations.
Conclusions:
- Diagnostic imaging is crucial for identifying middle/inner ear malformations in pediatric hearing loss.
- Addressing false-negative NHS results, functional hearing loss, and unilateral hearing loss are key future challenges.
Objective:
The importance and effectiveness of Newborn hearing screening (NHS) have been widely recognized. However, there are a few cases of false-negative NHS results. Hearing loss in children causes various disorders. Therefore, attention should be paid to pediatric hearing loss in clinical otolaryngology. We examined the multiple causes of children referred for detailed hearing loss examination.
Methods:
This retrospective study included 154 patients, 68 males and 86 females, 3 to 12 years old, referred to our outpatient department between January 2016 and December 2019. We reviewed data on reasons for consultation, newborn hearing screening results, and diagnosis.
Results:
Seventy-one patients (46.1%) were identified during the health examinations. Seventy-five patients (48.7%) were referred for hearing loss, and 8 (5.2%) were referred for language delay or dysarthria. Most cases are not diagnosed by newborn hearing screening. There were 33 (21.4%) patients who had no hearing loss, 54 (35.1%) had functional hearing loss, 24 (15.6%) had severe-to-profound unilateral hearing loss, 24 (15.6%) had mild to moderate unilateral hearing loss, and 18 (11.7%) had mild to moderate bilateral hearing loss. Of the 66 patients with substantial hearing loss, 40 (61%) had unknown causes and 26 (39%) had middle or inner ear malformations.
Conclusions:
Appropriate diagnostic imaging is essential in pediatric cases of hearing loss to assess for middle or inner ear malformations. Strategies to address false-negative results in neonatal hearing screening, functional hearing loss, and severe to profound unilateral hearing loss remain important challenges for future clinical practice.
