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Screening procedures used to identify children with hearing loss
D G Barringer1, C J Strong, J C Blair
1Department of Communicative Disorders, Utah State University, Logan.
American Annals of the Deaf
|December 1, 1993
Summary
Most infants with hearing loss are identified through parental suspicion, not formal screening programs. Early identification is crucial, highlighting the need for better professional and parental education on hearing loss detection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric audiology
- Early childhood hearing loss identification
Background:
- Hearing loss in infants can significantly impact development.
- Effective screening is vital for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the effectiveness of different hearing-screening procedures for identifying infants with hearing loss.
- To evaluate current methods used in national parent/infant programs.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was distributed to 1,404 children enrolled in SKI*HI programs.
- Data on identification methods and age at diagnosis were collected.
Main Results:
- Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) yielded the youngest identification age.
- Informal methods like parental suspicion and referral identified 80% of children.
- Formal screening programs are failing to identify most infants with hearing loss.
Conclusions:
- Parental suspicion is the primary method for identifying infant hearing loss.
- Formal screening programs require improvement to detect more cases.
- Enhanced education for professionals and parents is recommended for better hearing loss detection.