Abstract

Introduction: Hearing loss and deafness are global issues that affect at least 278 million people worldwide¹. The incidence of hearing impairment in India is 1-6 per thousand newborns screened².

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of hearing impairment among high risk neonates in a rural based tertiary care hospital. To detect permanent hearing impairment of moderate to severe degree, at the earliest possible time. To provide appropriate intervention (medical/surgical/rehabilitation) following the detection of a permanent hearing impairment.

Methods and Materials: It is a descriptive, observational and interventional study conducted over a span of 2years.  

Inclusion Criteria: All high risk neonates born in a rural based tertiary care hospital during the study period.

Exclusion Criteria: Cases of congenital meatal atresia were excluded from the study.

Method of Study: All high risk neonates born and high risk neonates admitted during the study period have undergone hearing assessment using transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE), as the first level of hearing screening.  

Results: 315 at risk neonates were screened and 3 were detected to have hearing impairment which is an incidence of 9.5 per 1000 screened.

Conclusion: While it may not be technically feasible to screen all newborns in a rural setting like ours, screening must definitely be made mandatory for all high risk neonates using otoacoustic emissions as early as possible in order to preserve the deepest ,most humanizing philosophical sense man possesses, that is, hearing.  

Keywords: High risk newborns, Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, Hearing impairment.