Screening and assessment of childhood deafness: experience from a centralized multi‐disciplinary service

Abstract

A paediatric hearing assessment unit was set up in Lothian in 1978 to provide a clear referral pathway for children with suspected sensorineural hearing impairment and particularly for those children detected by the health visitor screening test. Over a 6-year-period the incidence of bilateral sensorineural deafness was 1.3/1000 suggesting that all children in the region were being seen. The mean age of diagnosis fell significantly over this period. Children in high risk groups, through adverse perinatal events or a positive family history, were not detected any earlier than other children. They were therefore not contributing to this improved earlier age of diagnosis. These findings support the continuation of health visitor screening but changes in practice are needed to encourage earlier diagnosis in high-risk groups.

Is a universal school entry hearing screen worthwhile?

“…A targeted neonatal screening programme commenced in April 1999, aimed at infants recognized to have risk factors for sensorineural hearing loss. In Edinburgh, we are clearly diagnosing children with significant sensorineural loss before the school entry screen, and are constantly reviewing performance to achieve NDCS quality assurance guidelines 2,7,8 …”

The relationship between audit, research and policy: lessons from a community paediatric audiology service

“…Audit 9 produced a figure of 1.3 hearing impaired children per 1000, close to that found in comparable studies. This suggests that the majority of cases were identified (McClelland et al 1992;O'Hare, Grigor & Cowan 1993;Parving & Salomon 1993;Parving & Christensen 1992). In a recent unpublished regional audit, five out of 13 districts identified 50% or fewer of the expected number of cases of hearing loss and only four achieved 80% or better.…”