Audiology: Screening Test In Newborns Reveals Potential Middle-Ear Issues

New findings published in the Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology reveal that screening newborns who require time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) via a testing process known as high-frequency tympanometry may help health officials identify middle-ear problems earlier.

For the study, audiologists used high-frequency tympanometry to test middle-ear function in 31 infants between the ages of one week and six months at the Royal Alexandra and Glenrose hospitals. All babies in the study were screened via a standard test known as auditory brainstem response and high-frequency tympanometry.

Researchers found that high-frequency tympanometry worked as a good way to identify middle-ear disorders in young infants who have recently been in the NICU, with early tests that can potentially lead to better treatments for any hearing-related health issues. 

Middle-ear problems may be the result of damage to hair cells that impair the ability to convert sound vibrations into nerve activity. While some treatments may require inserting a tube through the eardrum to relieve pressure issues or removing blockages of air flow into the middle ear behind the nose, other problems will require more extensive treatments, including cochlear implants, which are necessary for hearing aids. 

"Newborn screening is a priority of Canadian and American audiology and pediatric medical communities, and our study shows there is a benefit to screening the middle ear of newborns," concluded  Ming Zhang, an associate professor at the U of A's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and co-author of the new study with colleagues Li Qi of Vancouver General Hospital, Brian Schmidt of Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, in a news release.

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