HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal My Folders Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Karzon, R. K. Articles by Lieu, J. E. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Karzon, R. K. Articles by Lieu, J. E. C.

Initial Audiologic Assessment of Infants Referred From Well Baby, Special Care, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurseries

St. Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Judith E. Cho Lieu

Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Contact author: Roanne K. Karzon, St. Louis Children's Hospital, One Children's Place, Room 3S23, St. Louis, MO 63110. Email: roannekk{at}bjc.org

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-hr initial audiologic assessment appointment for infants referred from area universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) programs to a clinical audiology department in an urban hospital.

METHOD: A prospective auditory brainstem response (ABR)-based protocol, including clicks, frequency-specific tone bursts, and bone-conducted stimuli, was administered by 10 audiologists to 375 infants. Depending on the ABR findings, additional test options included distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), high-frequency tympanometry, and/or otologic examination.

RESULTS: In 88% of the 2-hr test sessions, at least 4 ABR threshold estimates were obtained (i.e., bilateral clicks and either a 500- or 1000-Hz tone burst and a 4000-Hz frequency tone burst for the better ear). The incidence of hearing loss was significantly different across nursery levels: 18% for Level I (well baby), 29% for Level II (special care), and 52% for Level III (neonatal intensive care unit). Hearing loss type was defined at the initial assessment for 35 of the 51 infants with bilateral hearing loss based on bone-conduction ABR, latency measures, DPOAEs, high-frequency tympanometry, and/or otologic examination.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that a 2-hr test appointment is appropriate for all nursery levels to diagnose severity and type of hearing loss in the majority of infants referred from UNHS. Examination by an otolaryngologist within 24–48 hr further defines the hearing loss and facilitates treatment plans.

Key Words: auditory brainstem response, hearing loss

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. B. Sauter Initial Audiologic Assessment of Infants: Comments on Karzon and Lieu (2006) Am J Audiol, June 1, 2007; 16(1): 75 - 76. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. K. Karzon and J. E. C. Lieu Response to Sauter (2007) Am J Audiol, June 1, 2007; 16(1): 77 - 78. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]