Monitoring of the auditory pathway maturation after early intervention during the first year of life in infants with sensorineural hearing loss

Abstract

Purpose The objective of this study was to investigate the auditory pathway maturation monitored by auditory brainstem responses (ABR) in infants with hearing loss during the first year of life. ABR were used to estimate hearing thresholds and the effect of early intervention strategies using hearing aids (HA). Methods Click-evoked ABRs were measured in 102 infants aged from 0 to 12 months to determine their individual auditory threshold. Early therapy intervention was recommended before 12 months of age and analyzed. To evaluate the effect of hearing amplification on auditory maturation, different subgroups of infants with moderate hearing loss were analyzed and the auditory pathway maturation was determined based on IPL I–V shortening. Results Overall, 110 ears (54.0% of 204 ears) with mild to profound HL showed threshold changes of 10 dB up to 60 dB in the follow-up ABR testing. HA were prescribed at the age of 3.8 ± 3.9 months. Cochlear implantation (CI) was performed in cases of repeated profound HL at the age of 9.9 months ± 4.5 months. A significant shortening of IPL I–V in all subgroups of infants (with and without risk factors) who received HA was shown and assumed auditory pathway maturation. Conclusion An early intervention using optimally fitted HA influenced auditory pathway maturation and may lead to improvements of hearing thresholds during the first year of life in infants. This study underscores the importance of not only providing HAs to infants, but also controlling for hearing threshold changes ensuring that HAs provide the optimal level of intervention or CI is indicated.

Emerging Data from a Newborn Hearing Screening Program in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

“…From our study, the incidence of ANSD was 1.65 in every 1000 infants. However, it was significantly higher than existing reported data [ 30 – 32 ].…”

Prospective Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response against Hearing Loss Risk Factrs. A Clinical Based Study

“…These results were comparable to the previous studies. [ [16][17][18][19] 21.2 percent of HR babies with symmetric sensorineural hearing loss, including a kid whose initial missing ABR recovered entirely at follow-up assessment, showed considerable progress toward normal hearing or minor hearing loss. [20]…”

Risk Factors for Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Auditory Maturation in Children Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units: Who Recovered?

“…An infant was considered to have passed the ABR test if a replicable wave V response was recordable at 30 dB HL in both ears, whereas SNHL was defined as elevated ABR response thresholds (≥40 dB) in one or both ears. ABR thresholds at 20 dB HL or lower were considered normal, thresholds between 30 db HL and 40 dB HL were considered as indicative of mild hearing loss, thresholds between 50 db HL and 60 dB HL as moderate hearing loss, thresholds between 70 db HL and 80 dB HL as severe hearing loss, and thresholds higher than 90 dB HL as profound hearing loss [ 22 ].…”