[Hearing screening of 10,501 newborns].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the results of hearing screening in newborns so as to explore the appropriate clinical strategy of hearing screening among newborns.

METHODS

Transiently evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) was used to examine the hearing of 10,501 newborns 2 - 4 days after birth. Those who failed the initial screening underwent secondary screening with TEOAE. Acoustic brain-stem response (ABR) and 40 Hz AERP were used to monitor the hearing of those who failed the secondary screening every 6 months since the age of 3 months to the age of 3 years.

RESULTS

The false-positive rate was 14.92% in the initial screening, and was 0.26% after the 2-stage screening. 62 infants were diagnosed with hearing loss with a prevalence of congenital hearing loss (in one ear or two ears) of 5.90 per thousand and a prevalence of bilateral hearing loss of 2.76 per thousand.

CONCLUSION

Hearing screening in the procedure with TEOAE, ABR and 40 Hz AERP helps identify infants with hearing loss as early as possible so as to conduct appropriate intervention.