title: Impact of co-occurring birth defects on the timing of newborn hearing screening and diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Early detection of hearing loss in all newborns and timely intervention are critical to children's cognitive, verbal, behavioral, and social development. The initiation of appropriate early intervention services before 6 months of age can prevent or reduce negative developmental consequences. The purpose of this study was to assess, using large, population-based registries, the effect of co-occurring birth defects (CBDs) on the timing and overall rate of hearing screening and diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors linked statewide data from newborn hearing screenings, a birth defects registry, and birth certificates to assess the timeliness of newborn hearing screening and diagnosis of hearing loss (HL) for infants with and without CBDs in 485 children with confirmed HL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly one third (31.5%) of children with HL had 1 or more CBDs. The presence of CBDs prolonged the time of the initial infant hearing screening, which contributed to further delays in the subsequent diagnosis of HL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Better coordination of HL assessment into treatment plans for children with CBDs may enable earlier diagnosis of HL and provide opportunities for intervention that will affect long-term developmental outcomes for these children.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA. dachapman@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Derek A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Caroline C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Stampfel
authors.forename: Joann N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Bodurtha
authors.forename: Kelley M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dodson
authors.forename: Arti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pandya
authors.forename: Kathleen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Russell S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kirby
mesh_terms: D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology