Universal newborn hearing screening in Pakchongnana Hospital

Abstract

Background: Auditory dysfunction in newborns is an abnormal condition obscured from routine physical examination. Nowadays, early universal hearing screening in newborns is crucial in identifying neonates with hearing abnormality. Afterwards, early subsequent rehabilitation therapy before 6 months of age would improve language skills equivalent to average capability of those with normal hearing at the same age.

Objective: To study the incidence of auditory dysfunction in newborns, along with the prevalence of risk factors for newborn auditory dysfunction and their association with screening hearing test results.

            Method: Descriptive study from retrospective data collection of all living newborns, age ranged from 2 days to 3 months old, in Pakchongnana Hospital. The statistics in this study are Chi-square test and Fisher’s Exact test and Z-test for proportion.

Results: Total of 2,254 newborns were included in this study, of which 116 cases were found to have risk factors associated with hearing dysfunction (5.2 percent). Risk factors with 3 highest prevalence were ICU admission over 5 days (4.3 percent), utilization of Aminoglycosides (e.g. gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin) over 5 days (3.4 percent), and prenatal maternal infections (e.g. herpes, German measles, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, Zika) (0.5 percent) respectively. However, such risk factor are significantly associated with failure in screening hearing test (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The study incidence of auditory dysfunction in newborns is low. However, ICU admission over 5 days and utilization of Aminoglycosides (e.g. gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin) over 5 days are risk factor should be following to detected delay auditory dysfunction. This study emphasizes early universal hearing screening to search for newborn hearing dysfunction, especially newborns with risk factor for auditory dysfunction and appropriated to management.