Objective screening of hearing impairment using brainstem evoked response audiometry in children below 5 years of age and assessing the high risk factors

Background: Hearing impairment is a common disability in children. This study is to evaluate the common high risk factors for hearing loss in our locality and to estimate hearing threshold by brain stem evoked response audiometry. Methods: 100 children under five years were subjected to brainstem evoked response audiometry. Wave V morphology was studied and hearing threshold estimated. The high risk factor(s) were analysed and degree of hearing impairment assessed. Results: 38 children were found to have hearing impairment. Most of the children had bilateral hearing impairment. Of them 30 children (79%) had profound hearing loss. Consanguineous marriage was the most common risk factor. Conclusions: Since consanguinity is the most common risk factor, health education and genetic counselling will help to decrease the incidence of autosomal recessive nonsyndromic deafness. Improvement in immunization for rubella can decrease the hearing impairment due to these infections. Due to availability of medical facilities hearing impairment due to perinatal factors have decreased.