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[The audiometric evaluation of Buenos Aires schoolchildren]
A L Agüero1, J J Borria, M de Mola
1Hospital J. M. Ramos Mejía, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Insights
A study found that 39% of first-graders had hearing loss, mostly mild to moderate conductive hypoacusis. This highlights the importance of audiometric screening for early detection of hearing disorders in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric audiology
- Public health
Context:
- Cross-sectional study conducted in Buenos Aires, 1993.
- Examined 100 first-grade schoolchildren, with 90 undergoing audiometric testing.
- Focus on early detection of hearing impairments in a child population.
Purpose:
- Determine the frequency of hearing disorders in schoolchildren.
- Evaluate the effectiveness and importance of audiometric screening.
- Identify types and degrees of hearing loss.
Summary:
- 39% of children (36 out of 100) exhibited hypoacusis (hearing loss).
- The majority of cases (35 children) presented with mild or moderate conductive hypoacusis.
- No severe hearing loss was detected in the study sample.
Impact:
- Audiometric screening is crucial for identifying preventable hearing problems in school-aged children.
- Early detection of hearing loss can mitigate negative impacts on speech development and learning.
- Supports the routine implementation of hearing screenings for primary school entrants.
Abstract:
This cross-sectional study, which was carried out between 3 May and 30 September 1993, involved examination with a pediatric otoscope of a random sample of 100 first-grade schoolchildren in a Buenos Aires hospital, followed by tonal audiometry and tonal sweep in 90 of those children. The objectives of the study were to discover the frequency of hearing disorders and to evaluate the importance of audiometric screening in the child population. The results were classified according to the type (conduction or perception) and degree (mild, moderate, or severe) of hypoacusis, which was detected in 36 children (39%). Of those affected, 35 had mild or moderate conduction hypoacusis (loss of less than 31 decibels [dB] or less than 41 dB, respectively). No case of severe hypoacusis was found. The authors consider that audiometric screening of children entering primary school is justified by the high frequency of preventable hearing problems and by the repercussions that those problems can have on speech and learning.