Causes of Childhood Hearing Loss in China

Abstract

According to a sampling survey conducted by the Chinese Government in 1987, it was presumed that at that time there were 1.71 million hearing-impaired children aged 0-14 years throughout china. In order to clarify the etiology of sensorineural hearing loss in children in China, we explored causes of hearing loss in 230 children with sensorineural hearing loss who visited the Rehabilitation Centres for Deaf Children in Beijing and Dalian as well as the Department of Otolaryngology, Dalian Medical University Hospital, during the period January 1992 July 1994. The results obtained were as follows:
1.The average auditory threshold and standard deviation of hearing loss of the better ear in the 230 children were 99.54dB and 14.76dB, respectively.
2. The etiology of hearing loss was unknown in 106 (approximately 46%) of the 230 children, while hearing loss in 95 (approximately 41%) was considered to be caused by ototoxic drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics.
3. Results of these studies indicated that in order to establish a comprehensive program for prevention and early identification of hearing loss as well as early habilitative services for hearing-impaired children, cooperation between otolaryngologists and pediatricians in general hospitals is indispensable.