Improvement of return rates in a neonatal hearing screening program: The contribution of social work

This paper aims to describe the implementation of a Neonatal Hearing Screening Program in a school hospital, focusing on the return rates among infants who failed the first screening. The population who goes to the school hospital for health services comes mainly from economically underprivileged groups. Even though our previous return rates were comparable to those reported elsewhere, we felt it was important to improve the methodology of the screening process in order to try and obtain better results. Our hypothesis was that scarce knowledge on early hearing loss detection and on the benefits of early intervention could be reasons for mothers to give less importance to the second screening. So, a strategy was developed around the idea of providing very detailed information to the mothers about the screening process since preliminary data, gathered with a different group of in-patients, had shown that mothers possessed little knowledge about neonatal hearing screening and the consequences of hearing loss for children's development. The no-return rates decreased considerably (from 39.81% to 25.8%). The findings of this research showed both the need of an adequate way of imparting information to the mothers of newborns about hearing screening in economically underprivileged populations, and the role of social work in this process. Without adequate knowledge on hearing screening and the consequences of hearing loss, a high percentage of newborns may not take advantage of free universal hearing screening programs.44317919

Suspeita da perda auditiva por familiares Hearing loss suspected by the family

OBJETIVOS: caracterizar e analisar a suspeita de perda auditiva, por parte de familiares, em crianças assistidas na Associação de Pais e Amigos do Deficiente Auditivo (APADA) em Teresina-PI. MÉTODOS: estudo descritivo realizado na APADA no período de setembro a outubro de 2006, com aplicação de formulários para 14 mães e/ou responsáveis para levantamento das variáveis: identificar o familiar que suspeitou da perda auditiva na criança; o motivo que levou a suspeita; a idade da criança quando da detecção pelo familiar; a atitude da família após a descoberta da perda auditiva; a idade da criança quando ocorreu procura profissional e a orientação recebida; o tempo entre a suspeita da perda auditiva, por parte do familiar, e a confirmação profissional de diagnóstico. RESULTADOS: os dados apontam que 86% da suspeita foi percebido pelas mães. O motivo da suspeita foi pela não reação ao som por parte da criança (71%). 36% dos familiares perceberam o problema na idade de 7 a 12 meses. 79% tiveram como primeira atitude procurar o médico, 36% procuraram o profissional da saúde com até um ano de idade, 29% receberam a orientação do profissional para o uso do aparelho auditivo e tiveram a confirmação da perda auditiva de 7 meses a 1 ano de idade ou após os 4 anos. CONCLUSÃO: o diagnóstico da perda auditiva foi tardio frente a suspeita por parte dos familiares e dos profissionais de saúde e não estiveram relacionadas com os programas da triagem auditiva neonatal.<br>PURPOSE: to analyze and characterize children suspected by the family of hearing loss attended at Associação de Pais e Amigos do Deficiente Auditivo (APADA) in Teresina, PI. METHODS: a descriptive study was carried out at PFHIA from September to October 2006. Form were filled out by 14 mothers and/or the responsible adult to find the following variables: identify the family member who suspected hearing loss in the child; the reason which led to the suspicion; the age of the child when hearing loss was detected by the family member; the attitude of the family after discovering the hearing loss; the age of the child when professional help was obtained and the orientation received; the time lapse from suspicion of hearing loss by the family to professional confirmation. RESULTS: the data shows that hearing loss was suspected by the mothers in 86%. The reason for the suspicion was no reaction to sound from the child (71%). 36% of the families noticed the problem at the age of 7 to 12 months, 79% looked for medical help as their first attitude, 36% looked for a health professional before 1 year of age, 29% received the health orientation to use hearing aids and had the confirmation of hearing loss from 7 months to 1 year of age or after the age of 4. CONCLUSION: the diagnosis of hearing loss was late and discovered by members of the family and health professionals and was not related to newborn hearing screening programs