Screening, diagnosing and treating deafness: the knowledge and conduct of doctors serving in neonatology and/or pediatrics in a tertiary teaching hospital

Abstract

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Infant hearing deficiency is a human disorder with devastating effects and serious implications for the development of speech and language. Early diagnosis of hearing loss should be the objective of a multidisciplinary team, and early-intervention programs should immediately follow this. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and conduct of pediatricians and pediatric residents in a tertiary teaching hospital regarding deafness. DESIGN AND SETTING:Cross-sectional study in a tertiary hospital in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS:Eighty-eight questionnaires were randomly distributed to pediatricians and pediatric residents.RESULTS: Thirty-six questionnaires were analyzed. Most respondents (61.1%) were residents in pediatrics and/or neonatology. Eighty-three percent of them performed special procedures on babies presenting a high risk of deafness, and 55% reported that they had no knowledge of techniques for screening hearing. Most of them were unaware of the classifications of level and type of hearing loss. According to 47.2% of them, infants could begin to use a hearing aid at six months of age. Most of them reported that infants could undergo hearing rehabilitation during the first six months of life, and all respondents stated that being concerned about child communication is part of a doctor's responsibilities. CONCLUSIONS:Even though most of the participants followed special procedures with babies presenting a high risk of deafness, they did not routinely investigate hearing. All respondents believed that it is a doctor's responsibility to be concerned about child communication. RESUMO CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO:A deficiência auditiva na criança é uma das desordens humanas cujo impacto tem efeito devastador produzindo sérias conseqüências no desenvolvimento da fala e linguagem. O diagnóstico precoce da perda auditiva deve ser objetivo de uma equipe interdisciplinar e ser seguido imediatamente por programas de intervenção precoce. O objetivo foi investigar o conhecimento e condutas de pediatras e residentes em pediatria de um hospital-escola terciário em relação à surdez. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo transversal, hospital terciário do Estado de São Paulo.MÉTODOS: Oitenta e oito questionários distribuídos para pediatras e residentes em pediatria.RESULTADOS: Analisados 36 questionários. A maioria dos entrevistados (61,1%) foi de residentes em pediatria e/ou neonatologia. Oitenta e três por cento realizavam alguma conduta especial com bebês de alto risco para surdez, e 55% referiram não ter conhecimento sobre técnicas de triagem auditiva. A maioria desconhecia as classificações de grau e tipo de perda auditiva. Para 47,2%, a criança poderia utilizar o aparelho auditivo a partir de seis meses. A maioria referiu que a criança poderia realizar reabilitação auditiva nos primeiros seis meses de vida e todos os entrevistados responderam que é função do médico ter preocupação com a comunicação da criança.CONCLUSÕES: Mesmo a maioria adotando condutas especiais com bebês de...

Surdez: da suspeita ao encaminhamento

“…Studies (18)(19)(20) about the way pediatricians face deafness draw attention to the fact that, in general, they do not routinely examine hearing and have little information about the causes of hearing loss, its classification and assessment methods, which makes it difficult to detect it and delays treatment.…”

“…Colozza and Anastasio (20) included physicians working in neonatology in their study, in addition to pediatricians, and found that most (83%) adopt specific procedures for hearing loss when treating high risk infants, but do not investigate hearing in their routine examinations. The authors found that, despite that, all interviewees agreed that the doctor should be responsible for caring for the infant's communications capacity.…”

Discovery of hearing impairment by the family: seeing an idealized future collapse

“…A study conducted at the Teaching Hospital of the School of Medicine in Ribeirão Preto, of the University of São Paulo (USP), in 2006, recommended that it was necessary to have a more in-depth approach to the development of hearing, evaluation, early diagnosis and treatment of deafness in the training of Medical students and Pediatric residents; and there must be greater cooperation among pediatricians, phonoaudiologists and otorhinolaryngologists in divulging the procedures of auditory triage, because pediatricians are the parents' first source of information and reference (21) . This approach also needs to be included in the training of nurses and all professionals in the health area, who need to be made aware of the complexity of this moment and the impact it has on the family.…”

Knowledge and Practice of Hearing Screening and Hearing Loss Management among Ear, Nose, and Throat Physicians in Jordan

“…Several studies have examined the knowledge, attitude and practice of newborn hearing screening (NHS) among medical professionals across the world for various areas of medical specializations, 13 such as physicians, 11,14 pediatricians, [15][16][17][18] midwives 19 and mixed samples of physicians and pediatricians. 20,21 Previous reports have shown a poor to fair level of knowledge about NHS relating to information, 12,19,22 positive attitude 3,11,18,23 and effective procedures.…”

“…20,21 Previous reports have shown a poor to fair level of knowledge about NHS relating to information, 12,19,22 positive attitude 3,11,18,23 and effective procedures. 15,19,23 However, none of these studies has been conducted in Jordan or any developing country. Therefore, the present study investigated the knowledge and practices associated with hearing loss, its impact and management among ENT specialists in Jordan, as an example of health care practitioners in developing countries of the Middle East.…”