Current Status of Pediatric Hearing Loss Cases in Oita University Hospital From 2016 to 2019

Objective: The importance and effectiveness of Newborn hearing screening (NHS) have been widely recognized. However, there are a few cases of false-negative NHS results. Hearing loss in children causes various disorders. Therefore, attention should be paid to pediatric hearing loss in clinical otolaryngology. We examined the multiple causes of children referred for detailed hearing loss examination. Methods: This retrospective study included 154 patients, 68 males and 86 females, 3 to 12 years old, referred to our outpatient department between January 2016 and December 2019. We reviewed data on reasons for consultation, newborn hearing screening results, and diagnosis. Results: Seventy-one patients (46.1%) were identified during the health examinations. Seventy-five patients (48.7%) were referred for hearing loss, and 8 (5.2%) were referred for language delay or dysarthria. Most cases are not diagnosed by newborn hearing screening. There were 33 (21.4%) patients who had no hearing loss, 54 (35.1%) had functional hearing loss, 24 (15.6%) had severe-to-profound unilateral hearing loss, 24 (15.6%) had mild to moderate unilateral hearing loss, and 18 (11.7%) had mild to moderate bilateral hearing loss. Of the 66 patients with substantial hearing loss, 40 (61%) had unknown causes and 26 (39%) had middle or inner ear malformations. Conclusions: Appropriate diagnostic imaging is essential in pediatric cases of hearing loss to assess for middle or inner ear malformations. Strategies to address false-negative results in neonatal hearing screening, functional hearing loss, and severe to profound unilateral hearing loss remain important challenges for future clinical practice.