Hearing Screening in Neonatal Division (Levels II and III) in Amirkola Children Hospital

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hearing loss is one of the most important morbidities in high risk neonates admitted to NICU and special care nursing. This study was carried out to screen and follow up for hearing impairment in neonates who treated and discharged from NICU and newborn services ( level II and III) in Amirkola children hospital, Babol, IranMETHODS: All neonates admitted to the division of neonatology (level II and III), Amirkola children hospital, Babol, Iran included in this study between September 2006 and July 2008. At first stage all neonates before discharge were screened with portable Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) based on this examination. The results were divided in two groups: PASS and REFER. All babies who failed to respond bilateral referred for brain stem responses (ABR) 15 days later, and unilateral failure at 3 months of age. All neonates with severe and profound bilateral hearing loss received hearing aids at three months of age. These neonates were tested by ABR at nine months of age. In the case of no response they referred to cochlear implantation at 12 months of age. FINDINGS: At first stage from 363 neonates, 311 (85.70%) passed the OAE exam. Fifty two (14.33%) referred for ABR (CI: 95%, 10.70-17.95). At the second stage 15 neonates (4.13%) diagnosed having severe to profound hearing loss (CI: %95, 108-6.19). Three neonates suffered from bilateral profound hearing loss and five neonates had bilateral sever hearing loss. Overalls 8 (2.2%) of screened babies needed hearing rehabilitation (CI: 95%, 0.69-3.73).CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hearing loss is high. Up to establishing of universal neonatal hearing screening, we recommend hearing screening of all neonates treated in division of neonatology in our country