Al-Shaikh Abdulmonem H, Zakzouk Siraj M, Metwalli Afaf A, Dasugi Amal A
Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, King Fahad Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Med J. 2002 Apr;23(4):441-4.
This investigation was aimed to determine the current status of sensorineural hearing loss in children from the provinces of the Kingdom Saudi Arabia and to report on those with severe to profound hearing loss who are in need of cochlear implant.
A comprehensive survey of 9540 Saudi children was carried out from September 1997 through to May 2000. The subjects were randomly selected from the 4 main provinces of the country. The main objective was to screen these children for hearing impairment. A survey team included an ear, nose and throat specialist, a nurse, a social worker and an audiologist. A questionnaire was completed; clinical examination and audiological assessment was performed. Those confirmed and in doubt cases were referred for further audiological and clinical assessment including computerized tomography scan and auditory brain stem response.
The over all prevalence of hearing impairment was 13% (1241 out of 9540). Those with sensorineural hearing loss was 142 (1.5%) and those with severe to profound (76-100 decibels loss) was 68 (0.7%) 7 of them suffered from unilateral while 135 suffered from bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.
The prevalence rate of severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss is high in our country compared to developed countries. Cochlear implant is a useful procedure for those with severe and profound sensorineural hearing loss but hearing aids must be tried first. There is definitely a requirement for additional hearing and speech centers to be available, which, are at least accessible in the big cities in each province.
本调查旨在确定沙特阿拉伯王国各省儿童感音神经性听力损失的现状，并报告那些需要人工耳蜗植入的重度至极重度听力损失儿童的情况。
1997年9月至2000年5月对9540名沙特儿童进行了全面调查。这些受试者是从该国4个主要省份随机选取的。主要目的是筛查这些儿童是否存在听力障碍。一个调查小组包括一名耳鼻喉科专家、一名护士、一名社会工作者和一名听力学家。完成了一份问卷；进行了临床检查和听力评估。那些确诊和存疑的病例被转诊进行进一步的听力和临床评估，包括计算机断层扫描和听性脑干反应。
听力障碍的总体患病率为13%（9540名儿童中有1241名）。感音神经性听力损失的儿童有142名（1.5%），重度至极重度（听力损失76 - 100分贝）的有68名（0.7%），其中7名患有单侧感音神经性听力损失，135名患有双侧感音神经性听力损失。
与发达国家相比，我国重度至极重度感音神经性听力损失的患病率较高。人工耳蜗植入对重度和极重度感音神经性听力损失患者是一种有效的治疗方法，但必须先尝试使用助听器。显然需要增设更多的听力和言语中心，至少在每个省份的大城市要能够方便地获得这些服务。
