Neonatal hearing screening with transient otoacoustic emissions: pilot study

Bilateral hearing loss is present in 1-3 per 1000 newborn infants, and in 2-4 per 100 infants in the intensive care unit population. All infants with hearing loss should be identified before 3 months of age and receives intervention by 6 months. If undetected, this will impede speech, language, and cognitive development. In Tunisia, we do not have an exhaustive information on the real importance of the auditive handicap. The aim of our study was to evaluate the feasibility and the practical aspects of a pilot tunisian universal neonatal hearing screening (UNHS) program based on transient evoked otoacoustic emission reporting the incidence of hearing impairment in this population. A prospective study during one year (01/05/2006 to the 30/04/2007). Transient evoked otoacoustic emission was planned for all live births. If the test could not be practised in maternity or that research was negative, an appointment was delivered for a research of the O.T.E.A.P in an interval of 1 week - 1 month. Infants who did not meet TEOAE pass criteria underwent diagnostic auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing. During the study period, 3342 live births were recorded, 3260 were included. Total coverage rate was of 41% (1333/3260). We recorded 3 cases of bilateral hearing loss (0.9 per thousand screened infants) and 5 with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (1.5 per thousand screened infants). The incidence of congenital hearing loss in our population seems relatively high. Hearing screening for all neonates using transient evoked otoacoustic emission is feasible but several practical aspects should be revised.