PREVALENCE AND ETIOLOGY OF CHILDHOOD SENSORINEURAL HEARING-LOSS IN RIYADH

Epidemiological data on hearing impairment are indispensable in order to provide effective audiological services. A random sample survey was performed on 6421 Saudi children to evaluate the prevalence, degree a nd etiology of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The overall prevalen ce of SNHL was 2.6% (168/6421). The prevalence of severe to profound b ilateral SNHL was 0.4%. The causative factors were: heredofamilial (66 .1%), perinatal adverse factors (10.1%), meningitis (8.9%), rubella (2 .4%), mumps (2.4%), and nonhereditary syndromes (1.2%). The etiology w as deemed to be unknown in 8.9% of the cases. The study showed that SN HL is more prevalent in Saudi Arabia than in most of the developed and developing countries. Great efforts and resources are needed for prev ention and treatment of this major health problem.