Meningitis and sensorineural hearing loss.
A 12 month retrospective study was conducted on 54 children discharged from the Children's Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama, with a diagnosis of generalized meningitis, a major cause of post-natal sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Of these high risk patients, 38 or 70% had Haemophilus influenza meningitis and fully 40% of those children tested audiometrically were determined to have SNHL. Because there would appear to be an increase in SNHL in the post meningeal population, all children with a diagnosis of Haemophilus influenza, pneumococcal, or meningococcal meningitis should have an audiological workup, preferably prior to discharge from the hospital.
D000293:Adolescent; D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008581:Meningitis / Q000150:complications*; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000150:complications; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000150:complications; D008584:Meningitis, Listeria / Q000150:complications; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000150:complications; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000150:complications; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae