Audiological screening of neonatal intensive care unit graduates at high risk of sensorineural hearing loss.
OBJECTIVE
To audit the identification and screening of graduates from a neonatal intensive care unit with risk factors for sensorineural hearing loss.


METHODS
Hospital medical records of newborn infants discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit, Christchurch Womens Hospital, between 1 July 1994 and 30 June 1995 (n=564), were examined to identify those at risk for sensorineural hearing loss according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association risk criteria 1991. Auditory brainstem response test results were obtained from the Christchurch Hospital Audiology Department. Outcome measures were: presence of hearing loss risk factors, numbers tested with auditory brainstem response, age at test and presence and degree of hearing impairment.


RESULTS
Of 5,215 live births in Christchurch, 564 infants were discharged through the neonatal intensive care unit. Of these, 86 had risk factors for sensorineural hearing loss. There were 72 (84%) infants tested at audiology, with fifteen (17%) having abnormal test results. There were fourteen with risk factors who did not get audiology screening.


CONCLUSIONS
A high proportion (84%) of high risk newborn infants had auditory brainstem response testing. Further improvement would require strict implementation of standard procedures. Auditory brainstem response screening is part of a wider population surveillance approach to identify hearing loss as early as possible.
Community Paediatric Unit, Christchurch.
D
D
Eden
R P
RP
Ford
M F
MF
Hunter
T J
TJ
Malpas
B
B
Darlow
J
J
Gourley
D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006753:Hospital Records; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008485:Medical Audit; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009520:New Zealand; D012307:Risk Factors