Hearing Assessment of Neonates Treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Besat Hospital in 2018-2019

Early detection of neonatal hearing disorders is a suitable measure of speech and behavioral development. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hearing disorder in high-risk neonates treated in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

This descriptive study was performed on 150 neonates treated in the NICU of Besat Hospital in Hamadan, Iran, using a census method. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) and otoacoustic emission (OAE) tests were performed by Labat and HOMOTH devices in Besat Hospital of Hamadan for diagnosis of hearing disorders. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test via SPSS 16.

In this paper, 63.3% of studied participants were male and 36.7% were female. Also, 4.7% of participants had mild to severe hearing disorder, and 3.3% had moderately-severe hearing loss. There was a statistically significant relationship between age at admission, hearing loss in both ears, and oxygen demand with hearing-impaired participants (ABR test).

Considering the presence of 4.7% of hearing-impaired neonates (ABR test) in this study, it is necessary to design and implement a comprehensive hearing screening for high-risk neonates in terms of hearing disorders.