15th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 13-15, 2016 • San Diego, CA
| - | 2 - Audiological Services
Audiologic Outcomes in Infants After Therapeutic Hypothermia due to Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
Pediatrix Audiology Services, an affiliate of Pediatrix Medical Group, provides diagnostic audiologic services to high risk infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Currently there are no guidelines in place for audiological re-evaluations on infants with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) who subsequently receive treatment via therapeutic hypothermia. This study reports results in 43 babies with HIE who received therapeutic hypothermia and were evaluated via diagnostic Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) evaluation in the NICU. Initial testing revealed 13% (6/43) of infants had an abnormal ABR. Upon re-evaluation, four infants (9%, 4/43) were confirmed with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and two infants showed improved auditory function as evidenced by normal ABRs. Of the 37 babies with normal ABRs, all were advised to return for follow-up testing within 3-6 months to monitor hearing sensitivity. Only 8 babies returned, and in that time one infant developed sensorineural hearing loss. To conclude, diagnostic ABRs should be performed early in life and in the NICU when possible on infants diagnosed with HIE who undergo therapeutic hypothermia. Follow-up at 3-6 months should be strongly recommended in this population to ensure detection of delayed-onset/progressive hearing loss that would otherwise be missed. Overall, results support the need for diagnostic audiologic services in the NICU and emphasize existing recommendations for audiological follow-up and monitoring of infants with risk indicators for hearing loss.
- Describe the audiologic outcomes in infants with HIE treated via therapeutic hypothermia.
- Outline the recommended follow-up timeline for infants with HIE treated via therapeutic hypothermia.
- Bring awareness to the need to apply existing audiologic follow-up guidelines to all infants with risk indicators for hearing loss.
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Presenters/Authors
L. Ashleigh Greenwood
(Primary Presenter,POC), Pediatrix Audiology Services, ashleigh_greenwood@pediatrix.com;
L. Ashleigh Greenwood is the Clinical Director of Audiology with Pediatrix Medical Group. She directs Pediatrix Audiology Services within Inova Children's Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia as well as the Pediatrix Audiology Services outpatient clinic in Fairfax, Virginia. In addition she oversees the Pediatrix Newborn Hearing Screening programs at four hospitals in Northern Virginia. Her interests include newborn hearing screening, diagnostic Auditory Brainstem Response testing, Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder, Central Auditory Processing Disorder, atypical hearing loss, and clinical research.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.