J Korean Soc Neonatol.  2009 Nov;16(2):213-220.

Neonatal Hearing Screening in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Graduate

• Cho SH
• Kim HA
• Kim EA
• Chung JW
• Lee BS
• Kim KS
• Pi SY

Abstract

PURPOSE
Hearing loss is one of the common birth defects in humans, with a reported prevalence of 1-3 per 1000 newborns. We investigated the incidence of hearing loss and evaluated the use of neonatal hearing screening test in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) graduates who are at greater risk for hearing loss than normal newborns.
METHODS
The neonates admitted to the NICU of Asan Medical Center from 1 March, 2003 to 30 March, 2008 who were available for follow-up were included. Those who failed the first auditory brainstem response prior to discharge were retested with the stapedial reflex test, auditory brainstem response and tympanometry in the Otolaryngology department.
RESULTS
Of 2,137 neonates, 2,000 (93.5%) neonates were tested prior to discharge. Sixty-seven neonates (3.4%) failed the first newborn hearing screening test. Of 67 infants, 52 infants were retested for a second hearing test. Excluding 10 infants (19.2%) who were lost during follow-up, 16 infants were confirmed to have hearing impairment of which 12 and 4 infants had unilateral and bilateral hearing loss, respectively. Of 16 infants, 5 did not meet the criteria set by the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of hearing impairment in NICU graduates is about 0.8%, excluding those who were lost for follow up, necessitating a systemic and effective hearing assessment program among these high risk infants and more generous national insurance coverage.

Keyword

Hearing loss; Neonatal hearing screening test; Auditory brainstem response

MeSH Terms

Acoustic Impedance Tests
Congenital Abnormalities
Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem
Follow-Up Studies
Hearing
Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss, Bilateral
Hearing Tests
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Insurance Coverage
Intensive Care, Neonatal
Mass Screening
National Health Programs
Otolaryngology
Prevalence
Reflex