Screening program lets Alberta test newborns' hearing
CMAJ 2000;162:1726
Alberta is spending $1 million to implement a province-wide hearing screening program this fall. "For the first time, there is large-scale recognition that this is an important problem," says Dr. Joseph Dort, associate professor of surgery at the University of Calgary, who created the Universal Newborn Hearing Program.
 | Dr. Joseph Dort looks on as Dr. David Brown performs a hearing test on Hayden Weber, who is being held by his mother, Denise. [Frontlines photo] |
About 6 of every 1000 infants born in North America have some form of hearing loss, which means that more than 2000 Canadian babies are born annually with the problem. It can range from fluid in the ear, which disappears quickly, to severe deafness. About 50% of these infants experience permanent hearing loss, says Dort, but only about one-third of these cases are detected.
Dort says hearing loss is often a "silent problem," and solid research data have only recently become available. Dort says the problem has been neglected in Canada, but about 22 American states now have universal screening programs in place. Research already indicates that if hearing loss is treated before babies reach 6 months of age, their speech and language often develop normally. Currently, says Dort, most of the children he sees are older than 2.
Epidemiologic management of Dort's project is more daunting than the medical challenges. He is now working on data management and the logistics of implementing the program throughout Alberta's health districts, which have differing needs.
His initial goal is to test 85% of the province's newborns. The test takes only a few minutes and can be administered by nurses, audiologists and trained volunteers. Positive tests will be followed up with repeat tests, and auditory brain stem response tests if needed. — Heather Kent, Vancouver
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