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Neonatal hearing screening — Experience from a tertiary care hospital in Southern India

Indian Pediatrics volume 51, pages 179–183 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

To implement a neonatal hearing screening program using automated auditory brainstem response audiometry in a tertiary care set-up and assess the prevalence of neonatal hearing loss.

Design

Descriptive study.

Setting

Tertiary care hospital in Southern India.

Participants

9448 babies born in the hospital over a period of 11 months.

Intervention

The neonates were subjected to a two stage sequential screening using the BERAphone. Neonates suspected of hearing loss underwent confirmatory testing using auditory steady state response audiometry. In addition, serological testing for TORCH infections, and connexin 26 gene was done.

Main outcome measures

Feasibility of the screening program, prevalence of neonatal hearing loss and risk factors found in association with neonatal hearing loss.

Results

164 babies were identified as suspected for hearing loss, but of which, only 58 visited the audiovestibular clinic. Among 45 babies who had confirmatory testing, 39 were confirmed to have hearing loss and were rehabilitated appropriately. 30 babies had one or more risk factors; 6 had evidence of TORCH infection and 1 had connexin 26 gene mutation.

Conclusion

Neonatal hearing screening using BERA phone is a feasible service. The estimated prevalence of confirmed hearing loss was comparable to that in literature. Overcoming the large numbers of loss to follow-up proves to be a challenge in the implementation of such a program.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of ENT, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632 004, India

    Ann Mary Augustine, Anjali Lepcha, Jareen Ebenezer, Roshna Rose Paul, Amit Tyagi & Achamma Balraj

  2. Department of Neonatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, TN, India

    Atanu Kumar Jana, Kurien Anil Kuruvilla & Sumita Danda

  3. Department of Medical Genetics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, TN, India

    Ann Mary Augustine, Atanu Kumar Jana, Kurien Anil Kuruvilla, Sumita Danda, Anjali Lepcha, Jareen Ebenezer, Roshna Rose Paul, Amit Tyagi & Achamma Balraj

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  1. Ann Mary Augustine
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  2. Atanu Kumar Jana
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Correspondence to Achamma Balraj.

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Augustine, A.M., Jana, A.K., Kuruvilla, K.A. et al. Neonatal hearing screening — Experience from a tertiary care hospital in Southern India. Indian Pediatr 51, 179–183 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-014-0380-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-014-0380-5

Keywords

  • BERA phone
  • Neonate
  • Screening
  • Outcome