Progressive and Nonprogressive Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Children.

Abstract

Department Otorhinolaryngology. National Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled. Tokorozawa, Japan. One hundred and ten children with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss with unknown etiology were observed for more than five years after the first reliable audiogram obtained. Forty-five out of 110 had been followed-up until they grew up to be more than fifteen years old.
All affected ears of the children were divided into two groups. In progressive hearing loss group, ears showed more than 15 dB increasing their threshold at least two continuous frequencies, at any time during observating term comparing with the first reliable data. Others were nonprogressive hearing loss group.
The progressive hearing loss ears were 28 per cent. The ratio of progressed hearing loss ears in children observed under ten years old was 10 per cent smaller than that of in children observed over fifteen years old. In an average of hearing level in 110 cases, the final hearing level was increased more than 10 dB to the first level. The number of children whose threshold elevation was over 15 dB at 0.5 and 1 kHz was smaller, and at 2 and 4 kHz was larger than that of progressive hearing loss individuals.