ESTIMATING THE INCIDENCE OF NEONATAL HEARING LOSS IN HIGH RISK NEONATES

Regardless of severity, earlier intervention to correct hearing loss in children improves speech development and conversational abilities. A cross-sectional study was performed on 230 neonates who were at risk of hearing loss in Tehran University of Medical Sciences hospitals between September 2000 and February 2002. Hearing was examined before the 3rd month by auditory brainstem responses (ABR). Eighteen neonates (8%) had sensorineural hearing loss. There was no significant relationship between hearing loss and sex. We found significant statistical relationships between hearing loss and craniofacial anomalies (P value < 0.000001), the neonate’s age during hospitalization (P value < 0.005),hyperbilirubinemia (P value < 0.01), using artificial ventilation (P value < 0.05) and use of ototoxic drugs (P value < 0.05). It seems that it is much better to screen all neonates for early detection of hearing loss. If this goal is not achievable, all neonates with risk factors must be checked. Severe hyperbilirubinemia is a main risk factor of hearing loss.