PREVALENCE, ETIOLOGY, AND CARE OF SEVERE AND PROFOUND HEARING-LOSS

Severe and profound hearing loss (>70 dB) were analysed in a retrospec tive study of 226 children, born between 1976 and 1985, and recruited from three French administrative departments. The prevalence was 0.54 per 1000 children under 9 years old, with no decrease over the study p eriod. A hereditary origin was identified in 20.8% of cases and an inf ectious origin in 11.5%. Perinatal risk factors were present in 11.5%, while the aetiology was undetermined in more than half the cases. In 85.8% of the children there was no other severe impairment. Marked lea rning difficulties were observed: 36% of the children were two years b ehind their age group and 28% were more than two years behind. The age of initial care decreased over the study period but is still too adva nced. Systematic neonatal screening would enable earlier care, which s hould limit the social and educational impact of hearing loss.