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Onset of hearing loss in children with bacterial meningitis
Insights
Bacterial meningitis can cause early hearing loss in children. Auditory brainstem responses may help detect these hearing deficits in high-risk pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
Background:
- Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection that can lead to neurological complications.
- Early detection of hearing loss in children with meningitis is crucial for timely intervention.
Observation:
- Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were assessed in 37 children diagnosed with bacterial meningitis shortly after admission.
- Four children exhibited hearing abnormalities upon initial ABR testing.
Findings:
- Two children developed persistent severe-to-profound hearing loss.
- Two other children showed improved hearing on follow-up ABRs, with one also experiencing ataxia.
- ABRs suggested brainstem dysfunction in two additional children, one of whom died and the other experienced severe sequelae.
Implications:
- Hearing loss can manifest early in the course of bacterial meningitis.
- ABRs show potential for early detection of hearing impairment in high-risk pediatric populations.
- Further research is needed to validate ABRs for routine screening in children with bacterial meningitis.
Abstract:
Auditory brainstem responses were evaluated in 37 children with bacterial meningitis within 48 hours of admission. Four children (two with Haemophilus influenzae type b, and two with Streptococcus pneumoniae) had definite abnormalities of hearing detected at admission. Two of these children had severe-to-profound hearing losses which have persisted. Hearing losses were greatly reduced in the other two children (one child also was ataxic) when repeat testing was performed. Auditory brainstem responses in two additional children suggested brainstem dysfunction at admission (one child died and the other has had severe sequelae). Hearing losses occur early in the course of bacterial meningitis in some children. Further studies are required to confirm the use of auditory brainstem responses in detecting hearing losses early in high-risk children with bacterial meningitis.