title: [Sensorineural hearing loss in children starting school. Results of a representative hearing screening study].
abstract: Audiograms in the 0.5-6 kHz frequency range were taken, using improved audiometric screening methods, in 2032 children, 6-7 years old, who were undergoing their pre-school medical examinations. In 151 children (7.4%), the threshold for hearing was above 20 dB for at least one frequency. Of these, 82 children (4% of the overall sample) had a hearing impairment defined as a difference of > or = 10 dB between at least one frequency (3, 4 or 6 kHz) and the mean value from 1+2 kHz. This was evaluated as a sensorineural hearing loss. Unilateral losses (lateral difference > or = 10 dB) were more common than bilateral losses (2.5% vs 1.6% of the overall sample). These unilateral hearing losses in the high-frequency range are essentially regarded as the result of playing with impulse-noise producing toys, such as toy guns with caps.
authors.affiliation: Umweltbundesamt, Institut für Wasser-, Boden- und Lufthygiene, Berlin.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kruppa
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Dieroff
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ising
mesh_terms: D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006316:Hearing Loss, High-Frequency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012307:Risk Factors
vernacular_title: Sensorineurale Gehörschäden bei Schulanfängern. Ergebnisse einer repräsentativen Hörscreeninguntersuchung.