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Universal newborn hearing screenings: a three-year experience
1Speech and Hearing Department, Department of Pediatrics, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ 07039, USA.
Insights
Universal newborn hearing screening using auditory brainstem evoked responses is effective and cost-efficient. This program enables early identification of hearing loss, facilitating timely intervention for infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric audiology
- Neonatal screening programs
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Hearing loss is a common congenital disability.
- Early detection and intervention are crucial for infant development.
- Newborn hearing screening programs aim to identify hearing impairments at birth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the practicality of universal newborn hearing screening.
- To analyze the time, cost, and failure rates of auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR) screenings.
- To assess the effectiveness of ABR screening in a hospital setting.
Main Methods:
- Auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR) screenings were conducted on 15,749 infants over three years (1993-1995).
- Screenings were performed before hospital discharge by certified audiologists.
- The Nicolet Compass Evoked Potential System was utilized for testing.
Main Results:
- The screening program proved cost-effective, with costs under $30.00 per baby.
- A total of 52 infants were identified with sensorineural hearing loss (46 bilateral, 6 unilateral).
- The program demonstrated a low failure rate, indicating efficiency.
Conclusions:
- Universal newborn hearing screening is effective, beneficial, and necessary for hospitals with high birth volumes (>5000 annually).
- Early identification facilitated by the screening program leads to prompt intervention for infants with hearing loss.
- The program provided essential education and follow-up services for parents and physicians.
Objective:
To perform hearing screenings on all newborns before hospital discharge, using auditory brainstem evoked responses with analysis of time, cost, and failure rates to evaluate and determine the screening practicality.
Method:
Over a 3-year period from January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1995, auditory brainstem evoked response screenings were performed on 15 749 infants born at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, New Jersey, before their hospital discharge by certified/licensed audiologists. The auditory brainstem evoked response screenings were conducted using the Nicolet Compass Evoked Potential System.
Results:
A 3-year experience of testing 15 749 infants proved to be a cost-effective program with costs less than $30.00/baby. To date, 46 babies have been identified with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and 6 babies with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss.
Conclusions:
The universal newborn hearing screening program at Saint Barnabas Medical Center has proved to be effective, beneficial, and necessary for an institution with more than 5000 births, annually. Early identification of hearing loss has resulted in infants receiving early intervention, and the screening program has provided education and follow-up services to both parents and physicians.