EARLY DETECTION OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN SICK NEOBORN

Sun JH, Huang P, Li JXu ZM, Bu J, Shen XM

Shanghai Second Medical University affiliated Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, China

 

Objective: To investigate the incidence and morbidity of hearing loss and impairment in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients.

Methods: Using the auditory brain-stem response tests (ABR) to detect hearing impairment or loss in 160 patients before discharge from the NICU during Dec.1999 to Mar.2001 in our hospital.

Results: 85 newborns had positive results in the 160 patients studied, hearing loss was 53.13%. In these infants, 20 cases were bilateral impairment and 3 cases had serious hearing loss. 26 cases were among the 34 asphyxiated newborns (76.47%); 29 were from the 57 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia (50.88%); 18 were from the 28 premature infant group (64.29%), all of 7 premature with birth weight less than 2000G had hearing impairment. 23 cases were among the 34 newborns who received ototoxic agents (67.29%).

Conclusions: There is a significant incidence of hearing impairment in critically ill neonates with some specific high risk factors. Early hearing screening is necessary for NICU neonates.

 

 

 
1884