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Issue

Vol 123 No 1313: 30 April 2010

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Issue Summary

SUMMARY

An audit of referrals to the Southern Cochlear Implant Paediatric Programme

Cochlear implants are devices which replace the hearing function of the ear and stimulate the nerve of hearing directly. They are used for adults and children whose hearing is so bad that hearing aids cannot help them. In children with pre-lingual deafness (children who have never heard or have lost the ability to hear before they develop speech and language) it is very important to restore their hearing with hearing aids or cochlear implants as soon as possible. For cochlear implants, there is very good evidence suggesting that the children should have their implants by the age of 1. This study was an audit to check on the ages of referral, especially in the pre-lingual children. We found that the average age of referral was unacceptably high. This means that the children may not perform as well with their cochlear implants as they would do if referred earlier. Just under half the children with significant hearing loss have risk factors which would normally be identified and their hearing tested very early on. Unfortunately our study showed that the children with risk factors were not identified and referred on any earlier than children without risk factors which is of great concern. The age of referral of children with significant deafness should drop as universal hearing screening is introduced but there may be significant problems if testing of childrens hearing is not adequately performed in New Zealand.

SUMMARY

An audit of referrals to the Southern Cochlear Implant Paediatric Programme

Cochlear implants are devices which replace the hearing function of the ear and stimulate the nerve of hearing directly. They are used for adults and children whose hearing is so bad that hearing aids cannot help them. In children with pre-lingual deafness (children who have never heard or have lost the ability to hear before they develop speech and language) it is very important to restore their hearing with hearing aids or cochlear implants as soon as possible. For cochlear implants, there is very good evidence suggesting that the children should have their implants by the age of 1. This study was an audit to check on the ages of referral, especially in the pre-lingual children. We found that the average age of referral was unacceptably high. This means that the children may not perform as well with their cochlear implants as they would do if referred earlier. Just under half the children with significant hearing loss have risk factors which would normally be identified and their hearing tested very early on. Unfortunately our study showed that the children with risk factors were not identified and referred on any earlier than children without risk factors which is of great concern. The age of referral of children with significant deafness should drop as universal hearing screening is introduced but there may be significant problems if testing of childrens hearing is not adequately performed in New Zealand.

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