Characterization of the hearing loss in children examined at a Hearing Health Program

Abstract

Objective: to characterize the hearing loss of children assessed and attended by the Hearing Health Program of the Hospital das Clínicas de Ribeirão Preto - Brazil. Methodology: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo. This was a retrospective study of a sample of 279 medical records of children aged 2 to 12 years attended from October 2001 to August 2005; 133 cases with confirmed hearing loss were selected for analysis of the results. Results: bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss predominated in 35 cases (70 ears - 26,30%). In cases of unilateral hearing loss the conductive type of mild degree persisted in 14 cases (14 ears - 10,52%). The risk factors most frequently detected were suspected familial language, speech and hearing delay (32 cases - 24.06%); recurrent otitis media or otitis media persisting for more than three months (30 cases - 22.56%), and use of ototoxic drugs (26 cases - 19.55%). Mean patient age at the time of suspicion, diagnosis ad intervention for all types of hearing loss was 40.8, 50.4 and 62.4 months, respectively. Conclusions: there was a predominance of bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss; in the cases of unilateral hearing loss there was a prevalence of the conductive type of mild degree and the most frequent risk factor was familial suspicion of language, speech and hearing delay. It was concluded that an early diagnosis and intervention regarding these children in practice has not been achieved.