Detection of hearing loss in newborns: Definition of a screening strategy in Bogotá, Colombia

Objective: To describe the results from the hearing screening protocol adopted in a Hospital in Colombia emphasizing the importance of performing screening on an outpatient basis, when the newborn is more than 24 h old. Methods: A prospective study at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio in Bogota, Colombia was carried out, from May 1st, 2016 to Nov 30 ^th , 2017, the study sample included 2.088 newborns examined using transient otoacoustic emissions. Results: We obtained written consent from the parents of 1.523 newborns and 24 individuals (1.6%) failed the first stage of the screening, nine cases unilateral and 15 bilateral. A total of nine neonates (0,6%) failed the second screening test, six cases unilateral and three bilateral. Four (0,3%) did not return to the second test. Our false altered screening rate was 0.7%. Conclusions: In a developing country with limited human and economic resources, in which newborn early discharge is the norm, a newborn hearing screening program linked to infants’ check-ups, that uses otoacoustic emissions after 48 h of life, seems a feasible option compare to the standard US protocol aiming to conduct hearing screening prior to discharge.