Low prevalence of DFNB1 (connexin 26) mutations in British Pakistani children with non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss.

Objective: To determine the clinical sensitivity of DFNB1 genetic testing (analysis of the connexin 26 gene GJB2) for non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in British Pakistani children and extend to a comparison with British White children and literature data.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: City of Bradford, UK.

A data collection system to audit post-newborn hearing surveillance programme: problems and possibilities.

Background: Guidance documents on post-newborn hearing surveillance and screen (Sutton et al.2006; Bamford et al. 2007) indicated the need for a wider system to identify children with hearing loss after neonatal hearing screening.

Families affected by deafness: hospital services uptake in a multiethnic population.

Aims: To examine the uptake of relevant hospital services by families with deaf children and to compare use of these services between Pakistani and white families.

Methods: A total of 214 deaf children with amplification aids who attended their paediatric outpatient and school medical appointments from October 2000 to March 2003 were studied in an observational cohort study.

Results: The demographic profile of both the Pakistani and white families was similar.