A strict hearing test after neonatal hearing screening at our hospital

• Published in: AUDIOLOGY JAPAN Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 174 - 180
• Main Authors: Inoue, Rie, Okamoto, Atsuko, Onuma, Sachie, Hara, Yuki, Suzuki, Keiko, Iho, Kiyoko, Sano, Hajime, Okamoto, Makio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Audiological Society 2005
• ISSN: 0303-8106; 1883-7301
• DOI: 10.4295/audiology.48.174

The subjects were 20 infants who had a medical examination, and in whom the speech therapist had been asked to check their hearing and development following high ABR readings in their neonatal hearing screening. We analyzed the process of our strict hearing tests and discuss herein the essential support until required a diagnosis could be made. Infants who were in the NICU required a longer time to reach diagnosis than normal healthy infants. In 5 cases, there was no correlation between the ABR and the neonates' and infants hearing test because of their ABR, or the test findings improved during the strict hearing test. It is important to combine the neonatal and infant hearing test with ABR, after the normal neonatal hearing screening. Additionally, support should be offered to both the child and their parents during their developmental period, and the child's hearing tests, so that the anxiety felt by the family can be decreased, and the child is encouraged to give clean and prompt responses during hearing tests.