[Unilateral hearing loss in children].

Studies have suggested, that a significant proportion of children with unilateral hearing loss have educational and behavioural problems. This article summarizes known causes and treatment of unilateral hearing loss in children in order to draw attention to the importance of early identification of unilateral hearing loss and subsequent intervention.

Speech perception in medico-legal assessment of hearing disabilities.

OBJECTIVE: Examination of Danish data for medico-legal compensations regarding hearing disabilities. The study purposes are: (1) to investigate whether discrimination scores (DSs) relate to patients' subjective experience of their hearing and communication ability (the latter referring to audio-visual perception), (2) to compare DSs from different discrimination tests (auditory/audio-visual perception and without/with noise), and (3) to relate different handicap measures in the scaling used for compensation purposes in Denmark. DESIGN: Data from a 15 year period (1999-2014) were collected and analysed. STUDY SAMPLE: The data set includes 466 patients, from which 50 were omitted due to suspicion of having exaggerated their hearing disabilities. RESULTS: The DSs relate well to the patients' subjective experience of their speech perception ability. By comparing DSs for different test setups it was found that adding noise entails a relatively more difficult listening condition than removing visual cues. The hearing and communication handicap degrees were found to agree, whereas the measured handicap degrees tended to be higher than the self-assessed handicap degrees. CONCLUSIONS: The DSs can be used to assess patients' hearing and communication abilities. The difference in the obtained handicap degrees emphasizes the importance of collecting self-assessed as well as measured handicap degrees.

[Renewal of a hearing aid is a medical task]. / Fornyelse af høreapparater er en lægelig opgave.

A 67 year-old man was known to have a right-sided hearing loss with a normal discrimination score (DS) and was treated with a hearing aid (HA) in the right ear. An MRI-scan was normal. In 2006 and 2010 the HA was renewed at a private hearing aid clinic. No DS was performed. At the audiology clinic we found a masked DS of 0% and progression of the hearing loss. An MRI-scan revealed a vestibular schwannoma (VS) on the right side. The patient was fitted with an HA in the left ear and MRI-scans every six months. A masked DS could have revealed the VS and correct treatment thus could have been initiated sooner.

[Neurosyphilis is topical again as a differential diagnosis]. / Neurosyfilis er igen aktuel som differentialdiagnose.

Within years the incidence of syphilis has increased in Denmark. The current case describes a homosexual man with a sudden onset of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus along with a universal skin rash, muscular pain, and headache. He received intravenous penicillin 7 MIE × 3 for 15 days. The hearing loss and tinnitus persisted, and he was fitted with bilateral hearing aids. The hearing loss might have been reversible had he been treated sooner. This case stresses the importance of considering neurosyphilis in cases of odd symptoms and hearing loss of unknown origin.

[Hunter's syndrome and hearing impairment]. / Hunters syndrom og hørenedsaettelse.

A 30 month-old boy with delayed language development was referred to the Department of Audiology in Aarhus. At the time of referral he had had 19 cases of acute otitis media and had been tubulated four times. Furthermore, the boy had not developed according to age in several respects: his motor functions and language were delayed, and he made audible respiratory sounds and was obviously nasally congested. The boy was referred for further investigations at the Department of Paediatrics. The tests showed that the boy suffered from Hunter Syndrome (MPSII) and he underwent relevant treatment.

[Neonatal hearing screening. A comparison of automatic auditory brainstem audiometry and otoacoustic emissions]. / Neonatal hørescreening. En sammenligning af automatisk hjernestammeaudiometri og otoakustiske emissioner.

INTRODUCTION: The annual birth rate in Denmark is 65,000. Approximately 100 of these children have a congenital bilateral hearing loss which requires treatment. Furthermore, it is expected that yet another 150 newborns have a unilateral hearing loss. Treatment of the hearing loss within the first six months is fundamental in order to ensure optimal use of speech and language, as well as normal social adaptation. The purpose of this study is to compare the two screening methods for hearing loss in newborns as recommended in Denmark--ie. Transient-Evoked Oto-Acoustic Emission (TEOAE) and Automatic Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: During a period of six months, 1627 children were bilaterally screened with both AABR and TEOAE. The equipment used was Bio-logic's ABaer hearing screening system. Time usage and the number of refers was recorded. RESULTS: Of the 1627 children, 67 (4% ) were referred on one or both ears when using AABR, compared to 177 (11% ) when using TEOAE, which is a statistically significant difference (p = 2.43 x 10-16). Re-screening and further examinations in the Department of Audiology identified five children as suffering from a hearing loss. The average time used to perform AABR was 6.6 min.s compared to 3.8 min.s for TEOAE. CONCLUSION: AABR is well chosen as primary screening method. The time usage and equipment costs related to AABR exceed those of TEOAE, but this seems acceptable considering the larger number of re-screenings and further examinations in the Department of Audiology when using TEOAE.

[Screening project of identification of hearing deficits in newborns]. / Screening for hørenedsaettelse blandt nyfødte i Arhus Amt.

A screening project of identification of hearing deficits in newborns has been implemented in the County of Arhus, Denmark in January and February 2005 and is still ongoing. The purpose of the screening is to diagnose the hearing deficits during the first month postpartum and institute treatment of the handicap. During the first year of screening, 6154 children have been tested and 12 newborns with hearing deficits have been identified.