Auditory neuropathy/auditory dys-synchrony detected by universal newborn hearing screening

Abstract

The implementation of neonatal hearing screening has enabled early detection and intervention in hearing loss. The use of otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and auditory brainstem response testing in universal screening has led to the recognition of this recently described disorder called auditory neuropathy/auditory dys-synchrony (AN/AD). This diagnosis indicates that the infant has significant hearing loss despite having normal outer hair cells in the cochlea. We reviewed the characteristics and natural history of nine infants detected to have AN/AD from universal newborn hearing screening in a national pediatric hospital. Fifty-two cases of hearing loss were detected from 14,807 consecutively screened cases. Of the 52 cases, 9 had electrophysiological test results consistent with AN/AD. They include both premature infants who had major neonatal complications and term infants with no perinatal complications. Six cases had bilateral and three cases had unilateral findings. We suggest that AN/AD can occur in low-risk infants and hence screening of high-risk cases alone is insufficient. Our findings are discussed with reference to the current literature.