Neonates at risk. Screening for deafness--practical or not?

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Audiology
• Public health

Background:

• Early detection of hearing impairment in neonates is crucial for developmental outcomes.
• Risk stratification aids in identifying infants requiring auditory screening.
• King George V Memorial Hospital implemented a hearing screening program for at-risk neonates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of sensorineural hearing impairment in at-risk neonates.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a neonatal hearing screening program.
• To identify neonates requiring further audiological follow-up.

Main Methods:

• A six-year prospective study involving 3,507 neonates at King George V Memorial Hospital.
• Hearing screening was conducted on neonates identified as being at risk for deafness.
• Initial screening in nurseries followed by a later, more comprehensive test for non-responders.

Main Results:

• 144 neonates initially failed to respond during nursery screenings.
• 88 of these neonates were cleared upon re-testing.
• No sensorineural impairment of hearing was detected in any of the screened neonates.

Conclusions:

• The implemented neonatal hearing screening program identified no cases of sensorineural hearing impairment in the at-risk population.
• Further follow-up was not possible for some neonates who were lost to follow-up or outside the neonatal period.
• The study suggests a low prevalence of detectable sensorineural hearing impairment in this specific at-risk neonatal cohort.