Firat University hospital newborn hearing screening results

Newborn hearing screening is a program aimed to screen the hearing of all infants at early stage of birth. The statistical incidence of congenital bilateral hearing loss is approximately 1-3/1000 in well baby population, and 2-4/100 in the neonatal intensive care unit population. In Turkey the rates are (2.2/100) for national newborn hearing screening program. Congenital hearing impairment has adverse effects on speech development, language acquisition, psychosocial, and cognitive skills in children. But several studies reported that early diagnosis and intervention could bring about positive changes to the negative factors of congenital hearing impairment in the children. All infants with hearing impairment are to be identify before three months of age, and intervened before six months of age. The study was done between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015 at the audiology unit, Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases department of Firat university hospital. Otoacoustic emission, automated auditory brainstem responses, clinical auditory brainstem responses and follow-up tests to those failed the initial test were performed. The total 2430 newborns, in which 1269 (52.2%) males and 1161 (47.7%) females were screened. Of 2430 screened newborns, 1435 (59%) were healthy newborns, and 995 (40.9%) were high risk newborns. And 48 (1.9%) newborns were evaluated with hearing impairement, in which 8 unilateral and 40 bilateral sensorinoral hearing loss. Mild and unilateral sensorineural hearing loss were identified in 17 newborns who were only recommended to follow. The 31 infants found with moderate, severe and profound sensorinoral hearing loss were all recommended for hearing aid fittings and the mean age estimated for hearing aids fit was 7 months. Of 31 hearing aids infants 6 received cochlear implant and 2 were found suitable for cochlear implant, and date was given for their surgery. While 3 newborns were found not suitable for cochlear implants. In conclusion, hyperbilirubinemia, family history, consanguineous marriage, prematurity and low birth rate are found to be significant causes and risk factors of hearing loss among the newborns in our study. Keywords: Newborn, hearing loss, hearing screening