Neonatal Hearing Screening, with Otoacoustic Emission, among Normal Babies in a Northeastern Nigerian Hospital

BACKGROUND: Hearing is necessary for speech and language development, children with bilateral hearing loss often have impaired speech and language abilities thus limiting educational attainment. Early detection and intervention will help minimize such effects. Therefore, neonatal hearing screening program has been advocated in developing countries. OBJECTIVE: TThe objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of hearing loss and risk factors among full-term inborn neonates delivered in a University Teaching Hospital with transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: All full-term neonates delivered in a University Teaching Hospital were included in this prospective cross-sectional study. The hospital’s ethical committee gave approval. The researcher obtained informed consent from the parents and administered a questionnaire for demographic, prenatal, and postnatal data. A comprehensive head and neck examination preceded the preliminary otoscopy. With the help of a hand-held otodynamic otoport, Neonatal Hearing Screening Program otoacoustic emission (OAE), each ear’s hearing was assessed. Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 22.0 was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: 150 full-term neonates were screened, of which 72 (48%) were males and 78 (52%) were females. Neonates that failed the TEOAE in both ears were 12 (8%). 18 (12%) neonates had a refer in right ear only, while 24 (16%) had a refer in the left ear only. The only significant risk factor with a referral outcome of TEOAE was family history of childhood hearing loss (23.1%). CONCLUSION: This study found a high prevalence (8%) of failed TEOAE of full-term neonates delivered in our hospital with a significant risk factor of family history of childhood hearing loss.