title: The ages of suspicion, identification, amplification and intervention in children with hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the ages of suspicion, identification, amplification and intervention in children with hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the first stage of the study, we determined the ages of parental suspicion, identification, amplification and intervention in children with hearing loss who were referred to our center between years 1999 and 2004. The data of 199 children with severe to profound hearing loss was analyzed retrospectively. Based on these data, the intervals of suspicion and identification, identification and amplification and amplification and intervention were calculated. In the second stage of study, the data obtained from 156 children with severe to profound hearing loss, who were followed at our center between years 1991 and 1994, was compared to the data obtained in the first stage of study. Data were collected from family questionnaire-based interviews and hospital records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the first stage of the study, parents reported that hearing loss was suspected at a mean age of 12.5 months. The average ages of identification, amplification and intervention were 19.4; 26.5 and 33.0 months, respectively. The results obtained from the second stage of this study revealed that, ages of suspicion, identification and intervention were significantly smaller for the period of 1999-2004, compared to the period of 1991-1994.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study clearly demonstrate that, in Turkey, there are significant improvements in the ages of suspicion, identification and intervention of hearing loss. Even though these improvements are remarkable, the ages of suspicion, identification, amplification and intervention of hearing loss are still far beyond the suggested ages by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Audiology and Speech Pathology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara 06100, Turkey. eozcebe@hacettepe.edu.tr
authors: Esra
authors: E
authors: Ozcebe
authors: Sebnem
authors: S
authors: Sevinc
authors: Erol
authors: E
authors: Belgin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology