Discipline of Audiology, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.
S Afr J Commun Disord. 2020 Apr 20;67(1):e1-e9. doi: 10.4102/sajcd.v67i1.651.
Recent estimates reveal that there are approximately 280 000 children between the ages of birth and 14 years who are living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in South Africa. These children are living with a compromised immune system, are vulnerable to opportunistic infections and subsequent hearing loss. However, there is limited research on the nature and extent of this sensory impairment amongst school-aged children.
This study aimed to determine an audiological profile of a cohort of school-aged children attending an antiretroviral (ARV) clinic, describing the occurrence of hearing loss and nature in terms of degree, type, configuration and symmetry.
A non-experimental descriptive exploratory study was conducted, where 30 children aged between 6 and 12 years underwent diagnostic audiological assessments. Audiological procedures included case history, medical record review, otoscopic examination, immittance audiometry, pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and neurological auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing. The results were analysed descriptively using SPSS version 22 software.
The results indicated abnormal otoscopic findings in half the participants, and consequently type C tympanograms were the most common. Of the 28 participants who could be assessed with pure-tone audiometry, 15 (54%) showed a hearing loss. A bilateral rising mild, conductive hearing loss was predominant. Thirteen (43%) of the participants could not be tested using DPOAE because of outer and middle-ear pathology. Neurological ABR testing revealed an abnormality in 18 (60%) of the participants suggesting the sensitivity of the ABR to detect subtle neurological changes.
Half the children in this study showed hearing loss, which has serious implications for the holistic management of the children within the health and educational contexts. Therefore, there is a need for audiological monitoring of children with HIV and AIDS.
最近的估计显示，南非约有 28 万名年龄在出生至 14 岁之间的儿童感染了人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）和获得性免疫缺陷综合征（AIDS）。这些儿童的免疫系统受损，容易受到机会性感染和随后的听力损失的影响。然而，对于学龄儿童这种感觉损伤的性质和程度，相关研究非常有限。
本研究旨在确定在接受抗逆转录病毒（ARV）治疗的儿童队列中的听力学特征，描述听力损失的发生情况和程度、类型、形态和对称性。
本研究采用非实验性描述性探索性研究方法，对 30 名年龄在 6 至 12 岁之间的儿童进行了诊断性听力学评估。听力学程序包括病史、病历审查、耳镜检查、声导抗测试、纯音听力测试、言语测听、畸变产物耳声发射（DPOAE）和神经听觉脑干反应（ABR）测试。结果使用 SPSS 22 软件进行描述性分析。
结果表明，一半参与者的耳镜检查结果异常，因此 C 型鼓室图最为常见。在 28 名可接受纯音听力测试的参与者中，有 15 名（54%）出现听力损失。双侧上升性轻度传导性听力损失较为常见。由于外耳和中耳病变，有 13 名（43%）参与者无法进行 DPOAE 测试。神经 ABR 测试显示 18 名（60%）参与者存在异常，表明 ABR 对检测细微的神经变化具有敏感性。
本研究中一半的儿童存在听力损失，这对他们在卫生和教育环境中的全面管理具有严重影响。因此，需要对 HIV 和 AIDS 儿童进行听力监测。
