Physical and Psychosocial Clinical Features and Analysis of Prognosis with Psychogenic Hearing Loss in Children

Abstract

Studying clinical features and prognosis in 101 children diagnosed with psychogenic hearing loss and treated by team care, we found 74 (73.3%) were girls averaging 9.3 years old (SD=2.6). Psychogenic symptoms were found in 70 (69.3%), among whom psychogenic blindness and pain were factors in poor-prognosis. Developmental problems were found in 12 (11.9%), most involving weak hearing recognition. Mental problems were found in 8 (7.9%), including severe auditory hallucination in those of junior high school age or older. Most reported problems at home and school. Family problems mostly involved parental divorce and family conflict. School problems mostly involved bullying, threatened or actual school absenteeism, and learning maladjustment. Team care resulted in 83.6% gaining a good prognosis of these 50.7% recovered in an average of 8.5 months. We therefore recommend considering psychotherapy treatment in hearing-loss cases involving multiple symptoms, severe hearing loss, unilateral hearing loss, and psychological problems such as school absenteeism.