Intensive care unit: Results of the Newborn Hearing Screening

Abstract

Introduction: Procedures for extending the life of newborns are closely related to potential causes of hearing loss, justifying the identification and understanding of risk factors for this deficiency. Objective: To characterize the population, analyze the frequency of risk factors for hearing loss, and assess the audiological status of infants attended in a Newborn Hearing Screening program (NHS). Methods: This was a retrospective study that analyzed medical records of 140 patients from a neonatal intensive care unit, identifying the frequency of risk factors for hearing loss and audiological status, utilizing transient otoacoustic emissions and brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP). Results: Prematurity was present in 78.87% of cases; 45% of the infants were underweight and 73% received ototoxic medication. Audiologically, 11.42% failed the NHS, and 5% of cases failed retest; of these, one had results compatible with hearing loss on BAEP. Conclusion: A higher rate of low birth weight, and prematurity was observed in infants who underwent screening and had an audiological diagnosis by the third month of life. Only one newborn presented a change in audiological status. The authors emphasize the importance of auditory monitoring for all infants, considering this as a high-risk sample for hearing loss.