Hearing screening outcome in neonatal intensive care unit graduates from a tertiary care centre in Singapore

Background We aimed to analyse the outcome of universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) and high‐risk hearing screening in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) graduates in a tertiary care unit. Methods The hearing screen programme comprises a 2‐stage automated auditory brainstem response protocol followed by a high‐risk hearing screen at 3–6 months. This study is a retrospective study of NICU graduates born between April 2002 and December 2009. Data on hearing screening, audiological assessment, and management were extracted from a computerized data management system (HITRACK). Results Of 100,225 newborn infants, 2.9% were admitted to the NICU during the study period. The overall incidence of hearing loss (HL) of any type/severity was 35/1,000 infants. Of infants with HL, 92.4% had their first automated auditory brainstem response at/before 1 month of corrected age. The incidence of congenital permanent HL identified by the UNHS was 15.4/1,000. The corrected median age of diagnosis was 4.5 months (1–23.5 months). Of 2,552 NICU graduates who passed the UNHS, 75.5% were retested at 3–6 months of life. Twelve infants with permanent late‐onset HL were identified, raising the overall incidence of permanent HL to 19.9/1,000; 1.1/1,000 had auditory neuropathy. Of the 92 infants with HL, 89 (96.7%) had multiple risk factors. Conclusions There is a high incidence of HL in NICU graduates; 22.6% were late in onset. An early rescreen in those who pass the UNHS is a beneficial step for this high risk population.