| Hearing loss in neonates and infants |
Goun Choe1 
, Su-Kyoung Park2
, Bong Jik Kim1
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1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Sejong, Korea
2Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea |
Correspondence:
Bong Jik Kim, Email: bongjik.kim@cnu.ac.kr
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Received: 9 August 2022 • Revised: 12 December 2022 • Accepted: 19 December 2022 |
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| Abstract |
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Hearing in neonates and infants is crucial for their development of language and communication skills. Unless hearing loss is appropriately managed early, it can cause a significant socioeconomic burden considering its detrimental impact on the child's development and its common nature. It is also the most common congenital sensory deficit, with an approximate incidence of 1.5 per 1000 newborns. Its etiologies are heterogeneous: genetic causes are reportedly involved in up to 80% of cases, while congenital cytomegalovirus infection is the leading environmental factor contributing to congenital hearing loss. The introduction of newborn hearing screening using automated auditory brainstem response and/or automated otoacoustic emission in many developed countries has helped detect and manage hearing loss early. Current auditory rehabilitation options such as cochlear implantation implementing cutting-edge technologies can treat almost all degrees of hearing loss, emphasizing the importance of early hearing detection and intervention. Rapidly developing genetic diagnostic technologies and future cutting-edge treatment options, including gene therapy, will shed light on the future management of hearing loss in neonates and infants. |
| Key Words:
Infant, Newborn, Hearing loss, Child development, State medicine |
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