Abstract
The principal goal of an early identification program is to identify hearing impairment present at birth, in order to effect appropriate intervention as early as possible. Although recent research provides some evidence for the value of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) in neonate hearing screening, data are needed from large-scale clinical evaluations about the value of using TEOAEs for screening not only high-risk but also healthy neonates. A cohort of 1,421 neonates (2,842 ears) from the well-baby nursery was screened with TEOAEs in a 2-stage process. Neonates were referred from the first test prior to being discharged from the hospital. Those who failed were rescreened before the end of the first month. Those who did not pass the second-stage TEOAE screening were referred for diagnostic audiological evaluation for confirmation of hearing loss. Neonates transferred to a neonatal intensive care unit were not included in this study. Two neonates with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss of >40 dB hearing level were identified from this cohort. This study demonstrates the feasibility and the limitations of using TEOAEs as a universal hearing screening tool for all neonates. It confirms that the prevalence of hearing impairment in neonates has to be taken into account, even in a group of children without high-risk criteria. In France, a prevalence of 1.4 per 1,000 would represent 1,000 deaf children born every year, with reference to about 700,000 births per year. This study suggests that such universal screening programs would substantially increase the rate of early-identified infants with significant hearing impairment.
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