Resident Files: Screening for Hearing Loss in Pediatrics

Hearing loss is the most common developmental disorder identifiable at birth. And its prevalence increases throughout school‐age due to the additions of late‐onset, late-identified and acquired hearing loss. Under-identification and lack of appropriate management of hearing loss in children have broad effects on educational, cognitive and social development. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, all children should receive regular surveillance of developmental milestones, auditory skills, parental concerns and middle-ear status.

Listen to pediatric experts discuss hearing screenings

On today’s Resident Files episode, we talk with Jordan Yoeli, MD, about the hearing screening schedule and risk indicators.

Dr. Yoeli is a PGY-3 pediatrics resident at Children's Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In this episode, our experts discuss:

• Types of screening tests done in the newborn and NICU nurseries
• Review of auditory anatomy
• Syndromes and conditions that increase risk of hearing loss in the newborn period
• Diagnostic and intervention steps for babies who fail newborn hearing screens
• AAP recommendations for hearing screening over the course of development
• Risk factors and prevention recommendations for adolescent hearing loss
• Racial and socioeconomic disparities in childhood hearing loss
• How to approach care coordination for patients with hearing impairment
• Hearing loss detection rates and outcomes
• Importance of early detection

Resources for providers:

• JAMA: Prevalence of Hearing Loss in US Children and Adolescents: Findings from NHANES 1988-2010

Treatment of hearing impairments at Children’s Colorado

The Bill Daniels Center for Children’s Hearing at Children’s Colorado is a collaborative program involving audiology, otolaryngology, and speech pathology and learning services. Our experts provide comprehensive, family-centered care for children with auditory processing disorders, congenital hearing impairments and trauma-related hearing impairments.