Description of the neonatal hearing screening program

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the Neonatal Hearing Screening Program (NHSP) in a population of newborns. Method: Retrospective study totalizing 993 babies. Results: Out of the 993 babies that undergone the NHS, 492 (49.55%) were boys and 501 (50.45%), girls. In relation to risk factors, 37 (3.73%) had hyperbilirubinemia; 24 (2.42%), ototoxic medication; 20 (2.02%), mechanical ventilation; 17 (1.71%), infections; 13 (1.31%), craniofacial malformations; five (0.50%), congenital syndromes; two (0.20%), neurodegenerative diseases, and 38 (3.83%) remained in the neonatal intensive care unit for more than five days. When submitted to the NHS, the babies were between five hours old and two months old. A second test was scheduled 15 days later for the 35.75% babies who had failed in the first NHS. In the second test, the average age was 34.82 days old, the minimum, two days old and the maximum, nine months old. The failure rate was 7.49% for the right ear and 6.89% for the left ear. Forty-five babies did not attend the second test and 8.68% were referred for diagnosis. There was a statistically significant relationship between a higher occurrence of failure for neonates with shorter time of life. The number of babies who has undergone the NHS has increased since the beginning of the program. Conclusion: It was possible to characterize the program of NHS in this hospital.