Neonatal hearing screening in Benin City.

Objective: Congenital hearing loss is a major health care problem that tends to retard the developmental milestones of children. It takes early detection and intervention to avoid a permanent loss in acquisition of speech and cognitive functions. Hence, the importance of hearing screening in all newborns especially in the developing world for accurate statistics and early intervention. Therefore, this work was aimed at detecting the crude prevalence of congenital hearing loss among the newborns in Benin City.

Methodology: Consecutive neonates at designated immunization centers in Benin City metropolis were screened for hearing loss via the detection and analysis of distortion product otoacoustic emissions from both ears. The handheld otoacoustic machine model MAICO 8172 was employed and the outcome results presented in tables. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 11.

Results: A total of 400 neonates (218 males and 182 females) were screened for the presence of otoacoustic emission in both ears. Ninety neonates (22.5%) p<0.05 were referred. Bilateral hearing loss was seen in 26 (6.5%) whereas 64 (16%) had unilateral loss.

Conclusions: The screening tests suggest a high crude prevalence (6.5%) of bilateral neonatal hearing impairment in Benin City necessitating confirmation and intervention. The study fortifies the need for hearing screening among all new born in developing countries.