Abstract
Background: Few studies report prevalence rates of hearing loss in newborns for nationwide populations. The Dutch well-baby newborn hearing screening covers almost all eligible children and has high participation rates for follow-up screening rounds and diagnosis. This allows calculating reliable prevalence rates of permanent neonatal hearing loss specified by severity. Methods: Results from the well-baby newborn hearing screening program and diagnostic follow-up of referred children from 2015 to 2019 were included in calculating prevalence rates. Hearing loss was classified according to the degree of severity. Results: A total of 99.7% of 833,318 children eligible for screening were included. A total of 0.3% were referred for audiological diagnostics. Permanent bilateral hearing loss of ≥40 dB was diagnosed in 23.7% of them and unilateral hearing loss in 14.4%. A prevalence rate of 1.23 per 1000 children was found, 0.46 for unilateral hearing loss and 0.76 for bilateral hearing loss. Moderate hearing loss is most common in children with bilateral hearing loss (0.47), followed by profound (0.21) and severe (0.06) hearing loss. In children with unilateral hearing loss, prevalence rates are the highest for profound hearing loss (0.21), followed by moderate (0.16) and severe (0.09) hearing loss. A total of 87.5% of the children were diagnosed within the age of 3 months. Conclusions: Because of the high quality of the Dutch well-baby hearing screening program, reported results approximate true prevalence rates of permanent hearing loss by severity.
Highlights
Prior to establishing newborn hearing screening programs, children with permanent hearing loss showed to have significantly lower language, literacy, and social-emotional outcomes than children without hearing loss [1]
A total prevalence rate of 1.23 per 1000 newborns was found for a permanent hearing loss of ≥40 dB in one or both ears
The current study reported on the data of the well-baby hearing screening program, which includes 98% of all newborns
Summary
Prior to establishing newborn hearing screening programs, children with permanent hearing loss showed to have significantly lower language, literacy, and social-emotional outcomes than children without hearing loss [1]. The Dutch well-baby newborn hearing screening covers almost all eligible children and has high participation rates for follow-up screening rounds and diagnosis. This allows calculating reliable prevalence rates of permanent neonatal hearing loss specified by severity. Methods: Results from the well-baby newborn hearing screening program and diagnostic follow-up of referred children from 2015 to 2019 were included in calculating prevalence rates. In children with unilateral hearing loss, prevalence rates are the highest for profound hearing loss (0.21), followed by moderate (0.16) and severe (0.09) hearing loss. Conclusions: Because of the high quality of the Dutch well-baby hearing screening program, reported results approximate true prevalence rates of permanent hearing loss by severity
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