Newborn vs distraction hearing screening and developmental outcomes

January 01, 0001

Newborn vs distraction hearing screening and developmental outcomes

Newborn hearing screening programs is widely implemented, but strong evidence of its benefit is lacking. These Dutch researchers tested the effect of newborn hearing screening vs distraction hearing screening, conducted at 9 months of age, on development, spoken communication, and quality of life in all of the children born between 2003-2005 in the Netherlands. Around and over the time of the study, all of the regions of the Netherlands changes from distraction testing to newborn screening. A total of 335 560 children were received a newborn hearing screening and 234,826 children in a received distraction hearing screening.

The researchers found: "At follow-up, 263 children in newborn hearing screening regions (0.78 per 1000 children) and 171 children in distraction hearing screening regions (0.73 per 1000 children) had been diagnosed with permanent childhood hearing impairment. Three hundred one children (69.4%) participated in analysis of general performance measures. There was no difference between groups in the primary mode of communication or type of education. Analysis of extensive developmental outcomes included 80 children born in newborn hearing screening regions and 70 in distraction hearing screening regions. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that overall, children in newborn hearing screening regions had higher developmental outcome scores compared with children in distraction hearing screening regions (Wilks = 0.79). For social development, the mean between-group difference in quotient points was 8.8 and for gross motor development, 9.1. For quality of life, the mean between-group difference was 5.3, also in favor of children in newborn hearing screening regions."

The researchers concluded: "Compared with distraction hearing screening, a newborn hearing screening program was associated with better developmental outcomes at age 3 to 5 years among children with permanent childhood hearing impairment."

Reinforces the benefits of newborn hearing screening, though confounding variables can’t be ruled out.

For the full abstract, click here.

JAMA 304(15):1701-1708, 20 October 2010 © 2010 American Medical Association
Newborn Hearing Screening vs Later Hearing Screening and Developmental Outcomes in Children With Permanent Childhood Hearing Impairment. Anna M. H. Korver, Saskia Konings, Friedo W. Dekker, et al.

Category: H. Ear. Keywords: hearing, newborn screening, distraction screening, hearing loss, development, cohort study, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Paul Schaefer, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 2 November 2010

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