In the state of Utah, hearing loss is the most common birth defect according to Utah State Department of Health. Utah passed legislation in 1999 that all newborn babies get screened for hearing at birth. Because hearing loss is so common, approximately 3 out of every 1000 births have some degree of hearing loss. The newborn screening is brought into play to help children be minimally affected with language development and speech. Even mild hearing loss can greatly impact a child’s scholastic and social growth. During the hospital stay, newborns are screened for hearing loss within two days. If anomalies are found, ENT Specialists will arrange the referral and conduct a diagnostic hearing test, performed by one of our top doctors.
There are two screening tests that are commonly used:
• Automated Auditory Brainstem Response or AABR. With this test hearing is measured by how the nerve responds to sound. Clicks or tones are played through soft earphones into the baby’s ears. Three electrodes placed on the baby’s head measure the hearing nerve’s response.
• Otoacoustic Emissions, or OAE. This test is designed to measure sound waves produced in the inner ear. A tiny probe is gently placed just inside the baby’s ear canal. It measures the response when clicks or tones are played into the baby’s ears. If the baby has a hearing loss, no echo can be measured.
Both tests are quick, usually taking about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. They are also both painless and may be done while your baby is sleeping or lying still. One or both tests may be used to screen a newborns hearing.
Diagnostic testing via auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing performed by ENT Specialist’s audiology staff is accomplished without sedation. This particular testing is meant to diagnose the ranging degrees of hearing loss that the newborn might be afflicted with. In the event that the hearing loss is confirmed by ENT Specialist’s audiologist, we will then recommend the appropriate hearing aids. At as early as two months, newborns can be wearing hearing aids. With early detection, speech and language development is known to show better improvements.
– Unknown, basically the cause of the hearing loss cannot be discovered.
– Non-genetic reasons, such as; illness or trauma before, during or after birth.
– Genetic, where the hearing loss will depend on the type of genetic defect. In 70% of cases of genetic hearing loss, the cause is autosomal recessive. They are due because of the following:
• Both parents carry the gene that causes recessive hearing loss.
• There are many different genes in an abundance of different locations that may contribute to genetic hearing loss. At one of these locations, a parent might carry one of the recessive genes that can cause deafness and one of the dominant genes that is responsible for normal hearing. Because each parent has only one recessive gene that can cause hearing loss, both parents can hear.
• If each parent passed on one recessive gene, then the child would receive two recessive genes, getting one from each parent, thus passing down recessive hearing loss.
In genetic hearing loss the cause is autosomal dominant, found in 15% of cases.
o Only one parent may have the dominant gene for hearing loss in this case. That parent will also be experiencing some level of hearing loss.
o The parent with the dominant gene may pass that gene for hearing loss on to the child.
For more information on neonatal screening tests, contact the professionals at ENT Specialists today to schedule your appointment.
