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Follow-up of 40,000 infants screened for hearing defect
Insights
Early infant hearing screening identified 69 children with significant hearing impairment. Parental involvement was key to successful rehabilitation and integration into various educational settings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Hearing impairment affects child development.
- Early detection and intervention are critical for managing hearing loss.
- A 7-year screening program was conducted in Jerusalem.
Purpose of the Study:
- To screen infants for hearing impairment.
- To identify children at risk for hearing loss.
- To present the distribution of risk factors and educational outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Screened approximately 40,000 infants aged 7-9 months.
- Applied selective criteria to identify at-risk children.
- Followed up suspected cases at a specialized center.
Main Results:
- Identified 69 children with moderate to profound hearing impairment.
- Detailed the distribution of risk factors among affected children.
- Documented rehabilitation from infancy through preschool.
Conclusions:
- Early hearing screening is effective in identifying hearing impairment.
- Parental involvement is vital for rehabilitation success.
- Hearing-impaired children were integrated into diverse educational systems by age 6.
Abstract:
During a 7-year period beginning in 1967, approximately 40,000 infants born in Jerusalem were screened for hearing impairment. The hearing of all infants who visited the well-baby clinics at the age of 7-9 months (85% of the child population) was tested and a set of selective criteria was applied to them to detect the children at risk of hearing impairment. Those children suspected of having a hearing impairment were followed up at the Speech and Hearing Center of the Hadassah University Hospital. 69 children were identified as having substantial hearing impairment (moderate to profound); the distribution of risk factors among them is presented. Rehabilitation was carried out from infancy to preschool age, at which time the children were enrolled in suitable educational frameworks. The role of the parents was crucial. At the age of 6 years, many of the hearing-impaired children were integrated into the elementary school system; others attended the School for the Deaf or special institutions. The distribution of the hearing-impaired children in the various school systems is discussed.