Childhood deafness in Australia. Incidence and maternal rubella, 1949-1980.
A survey of children born between 1949 and 1980 who are known to have been fitted with hearing aids in Australia by the age of 18 years reveals a ratio of 2.605 cases for every 1000 liver births. This incidence of childhood deafness is higher than previously reported, as a result of the greater number of birth years considered. Approximately 41.2% of these children have severe or profound deafness. A history of maternal rubella was reported in 11.06% of cases, but a significant reduction in the number of reported rubella cases after 1976 has led to correspondingly fewer diagnoses of severely and profoundly deaf children.
D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D003638:Deafness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012409:Rubella / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*