Artikel
Hearing aid treatment in infants
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Veröffentlicht: | 22. September 2005 |
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Introduction: In Germany congenital sensorineural deafness is still diagnosed quite late. The newborn hearing screening program enables a diagnosis within the first days of life and the beginning of a sufficient treatment within the first months of life. At the age of 6 months hearing aids should have been adapted.
Material und Methods: In 39 infants with connatal sensorineural deafness, who were diagnosed by means of the universal hearing screening in Hamburg, our experience with the early hearing aid adation is shown.
Results: In 24 of the 39 infants hearing aid adaption was started within the first 6 month of life, in 10 of the children between the 6. and 12. and in 5 kids during the 12. and 18. month of life. The reasons for later adaption than the 6. month of life were postponement of the appointment days because of acute infections (n=1), mental reservations of deaf parents (n=1), delayed absorption of costs of the social welfare office (n=2), aggravation of the hearing impairment (n=2), delayed first assignment (n=3), multi-handicapped children (n=6).
Conclusion: In most cases an adaption with hearing aids within the first 6 month of life is possible. Nevertheless, in some special cases this ambitious aim is not realistic.