title: Comparison between hearing screening-detected cases and sporadic cases of delayed-onset hearing loss in preschool-age children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare the diagnosis and ages of intervention for cases of delayed-onset hearing loss identified sporadically or via a preschool hearing screening program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study with the comparative analysis of two groups of children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases identified from screening were selected from 34 321 preschool children who underwent screening for delayed-onset hearing loss between October 2009 and May 2011. Sporadic cases of delayed-onset hearing loss were selected from pediatric clinical records. Cases from the first group were excluded from the latter to avoid duplication. Two groups were given the same questionnaire to record risk indicators, diagnosis, and age at intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of 26 children at the time of diagnosis in the screening group (52.81 ± 13.23 months) was significantly earlier than in the 33 cases identified in the sporadic group (62.03 ± 12.86 months; p < 0.05). The age at intervention of children with bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss in the screening group (50.40 ± 10.76 months) was also earlier than in the sporadic group (62.73 ± 13.77 months; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved rates of early diagnosis could therefore be achieved with hearing screening for preschool children with no significant symptoms of delayed-onset hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: * Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Jingrong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Zhiwu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Guoyin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies