D. Eden et al., Audiological screening of neonatal intensive care unit graduates at high risk of sensorineural hearing toss, NZ MED J, 113(1110), 2000, pp. 182-183
Aim. To audit the identification and screening of graduates from a neonatal
intensive care unit with risk factors for sensorineural hearing loss.
Methods. Hospital medical records of newborn infants discharged from the ne
onatal intensive care unit, Christchurch Womens Hospital, between 1 July 19
94 and 30 June 1995 (n=564), were examined to identify those at risk for se
nsorineural hearing loss according to the American Speech-Language Hearing
Association risk criteria 1991. Auditory brainstem response test results we
re obtained from the Christchurch Hospital Audiology Department. Outcome me
asures were: presence of hearing loss risk factors, numbers tested with aud
itory brainstem response, age at test and presence and degree of hearing im
pairment.
Results. Of 5 215 live births in Christchurch, 564 infants were discharged
through the neonatal intensive care unit. Of these, 86 had risk factors for
sensorineurat hearing loss. There were 72 (84%) infants tested at audiolog
y, with fifteen (17%) having abnormal test results. There were fourteen wit
h risk factors who did not get audiology screening.
Conclusion. A high proportion (84%) of high risk newborn infants had audito
ry brainstem response testing. Further improvement would require strict imp
lementation of standard procedures. Auditory brainstem response screening i
s part of a wider population surveillance approach to identify hearing loss
as early as possible.