
Sija S
Government Medical College, IndiaPresentation Title:
Outcome of newborn hearing screening program in a tertiary care centre, South India
Abstract
A Hospital based retro prospective study to determine the coverage and outcome of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) Program in a Government Medical College, Manjeri, North Kerala and to study the prevalence of hearing impairment (HI) among babies screened. Secondary objective was to assess the profile of confirmed cases, the interventions carried out, and to assess the improvement following the intervention. Data was collected from hospital records and confirmed cases of HI were studied by pre-structured questionnaire and telephonic interview. Data of 4 years from November 2014 (inception of UNHS program) to October 2018 were analyzed. The speech and language outcomes for these cases were assessed following various treatment interventions. Out of 17,260 deliveries, 16,625 newborns (96.3%) were screened under the UNHS program. The prevalence of HI was 0.08%, with 13 cases identified, 61.5% of which had no associated risk factors. The median age of HI confirmation was 6 months (IQR 4-12 months), with median age of intervention at 17.5 months (IQR 13-25 months). Cochlear implantation was performed at a median age of 24 months (IQR 17.5-33 months). Of the 13 cases, 5 were managed with cochlear implants, 5 with hearing aids and speech therapy, 2 with speech therapy alone, and 1 bedridden child received no intervention. Seven children showed delays in speech and language development, while three were lost to follow-up. The program achieved optimal coverage. Incidence of HI was low. The finding that half of the cases had no risk factors underscores the importance of universal screening. The median age of intervention exceeded the recommended standard.
Biography
Dr. Sija S has completed her MBBS, MD in Pediatrics, and Fellowship in Neonatology. She is currently 43 years old and has accumulated over 7 years of experience working in the government sector of Kerala, India. Until recently, she served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Government Medical College, Kozhikode. Presently, Dr. Sija is on leave from her government service to pursue advanced studies in Medical Genetics at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). Her academic contributions include two publications in indexed journals, another two publications in the official journal of the National Neonatology Forum(NNF) Kerala chapter and she is actively involved in four research projects. Dr. Sija is passionate about continuing her career in academia, with a particular focus on teaching in medical colleges and concentrating more on the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases in children.