Early neonatal screening for hearing deficit by recording acoustic otoemissions

Abstract

The high prevalence of hearing deficit, established already before the birth of the child or acquired in the immediate perinatal or postnatal period, is alarming, together with the impact of this disability on language and other cognitive processes, make it a serious health problem, so an early diagnosis is essential for timely rehabilitation. The objective of our work is to characterize the results of the registration of otoacoustic emissions in newborns. The descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional research method of series of 4176 neonates was used, to which acoustic otoemissions were recorded in the general provincial hospital "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes" of Bayamo, Granma, during the period from January 1 to December 31, 2022. More than 96% of neonates were screened; the prevalence of failed tests suggestive of hearing deficit was 0.4%. The behavior of the examination findings was close to 50% in each sex and the involvement of both ears was found in 53% of cases. Neonates with auditory risk factors represented about 5% of all newborns and of this subgroup, 5.3% did not pass screening. Low birth weight was the most commonly found risk factor. We can consider that the screening carried out meets the criteria established to qualify it as universal. The prevalence of failed tests was high, although in line with the criteria of the Board of the Child Hearing Committee (JCIH) and showed no difference by sex. The presence of risk factors was low, although in correspondence with results at the global level, standing out as the most common, low birth weight.