Kattan H A, Jarrar R F, Mohasin Z Z
General Pediatric Section, Department of Pediatrics (MBC-58), King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, PO Box 3354, Riyadh 11211, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Fax. + 966 (1) 442 7784. E-mail:
Neurosciences (Riyadh). 2000 Oct;5(4):240-2.
Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities in children with Downs syndrome. The objective of this study is to investigate the incidence and types of hearing loss in Downs syndrome patients.
Twenty-six subjects with Downs syndrome aged between 2 and 17 year old were evaluated during the year 1998, referred randomly by the Pediatric Department and the Downs Syndrome Centre. Screening audiological procedures were used to evaluate these patients, which include behavioral audiometry, play and pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and ABR, which is the measurement of the activity of the auditory pathway structures from the distal auditory nerve to the midbrain using clicks or tonepips.
The study showed that 35% were found to have normal hearing compared to 4% found to have sensorineural hearing loss, while the majority of patients were found to have a conductive hearing loss (50%).
Hearing evaluation of children with Down`s syndrome revealed a high prevalence of conductive hearing loss. This study proposed that this might be attributed to eustachian tube dysfunction and middle ear ciliary malfunction. Further diagnostic studies need to be carried out.
听力损失是唐氏综合征患儿最常见的残疾之一。本研究的目的是调查唐氏综合征患者听力损失的发生率及类型。
1998年对26名年龄在2至17岁之间的唐氏综合征患者进行了评估，这些患者由儿科和唐氏综合征中心随机转诊。采用筛查听力学程序对这些患者进行评估，包括行为测听、游戏和纯音测听、鼓室图和听性脑干反应（ABR），后者是使用短声或短纯音测量从远端听神经到中脑的听觉通路结构的活动。
研究表明，35%的患者听力正常，4%的患者存在感音神经性听力损失，而大多数患者存在传导性听力损失（50%）。
对唐氏综合征患儿的听力评估显示传导性听力损失的患病率很高。本研究提出，这可能归因于咽鼓管功能障碍和中耳纤毛功能异常。需要进行进一步的诊断研究。
