Georgia data summary. Hearing loss

2008 Georgia Data Summary:
HEARING LOSS

Hospital-based hearing screening successfully screened 99% of infants born in Georgia in 2007 for hearing loss. 43 children born in Georgia in 2007 had reported hearing loss.

WHAT IS HEARING LOSS?
Loss of sensitivity to detect sounds within the range detectable by normally hearing people, due to any cause.
HEARING SCREENING
Significant hearing loss can now be detected soon after birth, through newborn hearing screening programs at hospitals across Georgia.
Hearing loss and screening has been monitored since 2001 with the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention (UNHSI) program.
Georgia is part of a national initiative called Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI). The goals of EHDI programs include:
All newborns will be screened for hearing loss before one month of age, preferably before hospital discharge. Georgia's newborn hearing screening goal is 95% screened before discharge. Of all Georgia birthing facilities, 6% did not reach this goal in 2007.
All infants who screen positive will be referred to and receive a diagnostic audiologic evaluation before 3 months of age.
All infants identified with a hearing loss will receive appropriate early intervention services before 6 months of age.

The statewide hearing screening rate for all babies prior to discharge increased from about 30% in 1999 to 99% in state fiscal year 2007.
Almost 0.4% of Georgia births occurred out-ofhospital1, thus the hearing screening and referral status of over 500 infants is not included in hospital screening records. Licensed physicians in Georgia serving these infants are required to educate their patients about newborn hearing screening.
DIAGNOSED HEARING LOSS
Hearing loss is a notifiable condition. Beginning in April 2003, all Georgia physicians and other healthcare providers were required to report the initial diagnosis of hearing loss that is determined or suspected to be permanent and/or progressive in nature in children up to age five.
Of children born in 2007:
43 children had reported hearing loss in at least one ear.
28 (65%) of these children had bilateral hearing loss.
15 (35%) of these children had unilateral hearing loss.

Statewide hearing screening rate, referral rate, and number of live births registered to birthing facilities, 2002-2007.

100%

98% 98%

98%

98%

98% 99% 150,000

Percent Registered Births

80%

140,000

Live births

60%

130,000

40%

120,000

% Births screened

20% 0%

3.8%

3.5%

3.7% 3.6%

3.8%

110,000
3.7%
100,000

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Georgia Fiscal Year

% Initial screen referrals

Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health 2 Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 657-2588 ga-hearing@dhr.state.ga.us http://health.state.ga.us

Reported number of ears with hearing loss by type and severity, 2007 births.*

Hearing Loss Type

Mild

Moderate Severe Profound

15-40dB 41-70dB 71-90dB >90dB

Total

Sensorineural

9

7

10

19

45 (70.3%)

Conductive

6

4

1

11 (17.2%)

Mixed

1

2

1

0

4 (6.3%)

Auditory Neuropathy

4 (6.3%)

*With hearing loss surveillance, each ear has an opportunity for hearing loss; therefore results are displayed by number of ears with hearing loss, not number of people with hearing loss.

HEARING LOSS TYPE AND SEVERITY
The degree and type of hearing loss in Georgia is similar to national averages.2
Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage or absence of hair cells in the cochlea. Sensorineural is the most common type of hearing loss (70% of ears with hearing loss).
Conductive hearing loss is caused by blockage or abnormality occurring in the outer or middle ear. Conductive is the second most common type of hearing loss (17% of ears with hearing loss).
Mixed hearing loss is part sensorineural and part conductive in nature.
Auditory Neuropathy is a condition where sound enters the inner ear normally but the transmission of signals from the inner ear to the brain is impaired.3
Mixed and Auditory Neuropathy are the least common types of hearing loss reported (6% each of ears with hearing loss).
INTERVENTION
Children with hearing loss who had universal newborn hearing screening have better language outcomes at school age than those not screened.4
Eighty percent of the language ability of a child is established by the age of 18 months; hearing is vitally important to the healthy development of language skills.

Early detection of hearing loss in a child and early intervention and treatment has been demonstrated to be highly effective in facilitating a child's healthy development in a manner consistent with the child's age and cognitive ability.
Children with hearing loss who do not receive early intervention and treatment may require extensive special education services.
Appropriate testing and identification of newborn infants with hearing loss will facilitate early intervention and treatment and serves the public purposes of promoting the healthy development of children and reducing public expenditure on preventable and treatable conditions.
In Georgia, the Division of Public Health and the Department of Education may be able to provide parents and guardians of children with hearing loss services and education.
The American Academy of Pediatrics; the American Speech-Language Hearing Association; the American Academy of Audiology; and the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery have all endorsed the implementation of universal newborn hearing screening in all birthing hospitals.
Hearing loss occurs in newborn infants more frequently than any other health condition for which newborn infant screening is required.
Infant hearing screening is painless.
Early identification and treatment of hearing loss are the keys to better outcomes.

Data sources:
1. Georgia Vital Statistics, 2006. 2. Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/EHDI/data.htm 3. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/neuropathy.asp. 4. Nelson HD, Bougatsos C, Nygren P. Universal Newborn Hearing Screening: Systematic Review to Update the 2001 U.S. Preventive Services Task
Force Recommendation. AHRQ Publication No. 08-05117-EF-4, July 2008. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf08/newbornhear/newbornart.htm.
Date updated: September 2008 Publication number: DPH08.300HW Visit http://www.health.state.ga.us/programs/unhs for more information about hearing loss in Georgia.

Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health 2 Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 657-2588 ga-hearing@dhr.state.ga.us http://health.state.ga.us