Delayed diagnosis of childhood deafness: the value of false negatives in the Programme for Early Detection of Neonatal Hearing Loss.

Introduction: Despite its importance, the existence of false negatives (patients who are told they hear well, but they have some degree of hipacusia) is rarely evaluated in programs for early detection of hearing loss. The aim of this study is to determine the variables that can lead to a delayed diagnosis, especially the existence of false negatives and the lack of registration of risk factors.

Methods: A retrospective study of prevalence has been carried out, in which the medical records of children diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss born within 2005 and 2012 in the health centers of study have been analyzed.

Results: Of the 32 children with sensorineural hearing loss, 16 passed the OAE, 12 did not passed the OAE, and in four they were not carried out. Of the children who passed the OAE, 57% have severe hearing loss. 66% of children with hearing loss presented a risk factor for hearing loss at birth, being the most frecuent family history of hearing loss, but only 7% of those with family history of hearing loss were included in the risk group.

Conclusions: The results of the study indicate that the late diagnosis of hearing loss is related to the presence of false negatives to the OAE and the non-registration of risk factors.