Case Study: Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Paediatric Audiology

This case study explores the field of paediatric audiology, focusing on a child named Layla who was diagnosed with moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss at age 3, despite passing the newborn Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test. The study investigates potential reasons for the delayed diagnosis, including the limitations of the ABR test, misinterpretation of results, and the gradual development of hearing loss due to factors such as noise exposure, genetic conditions, and drug side effects. The case highlights the importance of early detection and intervention for hearing loss, emphasizing the need for further treatment, regular monitoring, and adjustments to treatment plans to minimize further damage and improve the child's condition. The study concludes that sensorineural hearing loss can either be present at birth or develop over time due to the deterioration of hair cells in the inner ear.

PAEDIATRIC
AUDIOLOGY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Paediatric Audiology is branch of medical science which deals in ear and auditory organs
and problems related to it. Paediatric Audiology is clinic which is specialist in provides services
to identify and manage hearing related problems in children (Babl and et. al., 2017). It works
with team so that best results are yield for every child includes sensory support teacher, speech
therapists, etc. in this case studies of baby Layla who has passed newborn hearing test but later
discovered to have moderate to severe hearing loss. This case study find out potential theory that
why the damage was not discovered at the time of diagnose.
MAIN BODY
Paediatric Audiology is referred to that branch of science that deals with hearing or ear
related issues especially with disorders and hearing loss. This provide services to children from
birth to till 21 years old. Sensorineural Hearing Loss is that type of loss which root cause lies in
sensory organ of inner ear. It can be mild, moderate, severe and generally permanent which
occurs due to damages or deficient hair cells. It can be from both internal like genetic or external
like environmental noise, infection, etc. It can take years to decade to deteriorate cells and affect
ears sensory organ causing hearing loss (Bravo-Torres, Der-Mussa and Fuentes-López, 2018) .
In this case of baby Layla, she underwent Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test
which is screening tool used to determine hearing loss in newborns. She passed this test
successfully and after 3 years when her parents detected that she is not showing reactions to
spoken language. At this time they went to Paediatric Audiology clinical and did some test
related to hearing problem. The test discovered that she has Sensorineural Hearing Loss,
moderate to severe in both ears. This has proven that baby Layla have permanent hearing
problem which affects both of her inner ear sensory organ. There is need that reasons are find out
so that root causes could be known of the hearing issues which were being faced by baby Layla.
Along with this, it is also important to provide her proper treatment and analysing the changes in
her condition which will further provide with reasons and consequences of her disability. This
will also help in dealing future cases related to present scenario. Here are some reasons why
ABR test was not able to detect test:
1

Inability of test: There are chances that Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test was
not able to detect the degree and issue at first place. It can be seen that such test are not fully
liable to detect hearing problems in infant and give reliable results. This can be one of reasons in
case of baby Layla that due to inefficiency of test done at time of birth was not able enough to
detect hearing related issue in newborn.
Misinterpretation of results: One of the basic issues with these early test that they are
more statistical as compared to behavioural which makes it complex to interpret. Results are
generated by electrical activities which are produced by neurons in ear nerves and brainstem
after producing sounds (De and et. al., 2018). The results which are obtained are in waveforms
that can be misinterpreted as in case of baby Layla.
Damage in hair cells: Sensorineural Hearing Loss is due to deficient or damage hair
cells which may be deteriorated over years. In case of baby Layla, she is affected by same type
of hearing. Such type of hearing issue can occur due to constant exposure to environmental
noises, sudden close gun shot or blast which may damage her cells. This can possibly be one of
reasons that it was not detecting at time of birth due to presence of that cells.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss can be developed in some years or decades in lifetime of an
individuals or may be at time of birth. Baby Layla is detected with same type of hearing issue at
the age of 3 after passing first diagnose at time of birth. She is detected with moderate to severe
hearing loss which is permanent, here are some causes through which she is suffering from
hearing loss:
Exposure to noise: Sensorineural Hearing Loss can also be caused by constant exposure
to loud noises which can deteriorate inner cells of ears. This can be environmental or man-made
noises both inside and outside house (Gunasekera and et. al., 2018) . In case of baby Layla this
may be one of reasons that her inner cells of ears gets deteriorated.
Genetic Conditions: This is one of the main reasons get can cause Sensorineural
Hearing Loss and affects from birth or may be later during life span of individuals. There are
some diseases that are passed over from mothers to infants during pregnancy. This can be one of
major reasons that she was not detected with hearing loss at birth and diagnosed at age of 3
years.
2

Congenital and birth-related hearing loss: This is root cause in many of cases in this
type of hearing loss. Injections and drugs given during pregnancy, complications in birth and
heredity susceptibility can also cause Sensorineural Hearing Loss in newborn babies.
Drugs and medication: Sensorineural Hearing Loss can also be caused by side effects of
some drug or treatment taken for long. This harms brain cells which are directly related to inner
auditory nerves system of ears. This can damage or deteriorates those cells which can make
person suffer from this type of hearing issues (Tharpe and Seewald, 2016).
It is important that such patients are treated as early as possible so that further damage can be
slow down or removed so that effects can be minimised. This type of hearing issue can be
reduced or treated by medical or surgical processes and can get helped from hearing aids. This
can be minimised by regular check up with doctor so that it can be detected on early stage and
damage can be cure. In case of baby Layla it is recommended that treatment should be start so
that no further damage occurred to inner sensory organ and it does not reach upto severe
conditions. With the help of treatment it will be possible to know about the improvements which
have been made in the condition of baby Layla. With the passing of time and improvement in
overall condition, it is important to make changes in prescription and medication services
provided to Layla. In this way, regular monitoring will not only help in knowing progress but
also to cure her from the disability.
CONCLUSION
From above case study it is concluded that Sensorineural Hearing Loss is damage in inner
auditory organs at time of birth or deteriorated over years. There is case of baby Layla who was
diagnosed at time of birth and successfully passed Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test.
This screening test use electric waves which are produced by inner sensory organs. After age of
3 year she was not responding to sounds and while diagnose she was detected with Sensorineural
Hearing Loss. This may be at time of birth of developed during years by deteriorating hair cells
causing damage to inner cells of ear.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Babl, F. E. and et. al., 2017. Bell's palsy in children: Current treatment patterns in Australia and
New Zealand. A PREDICT study. Journal of paediatrics and child health. 53(4).
pp.339-342.
Bravo-Torres, S., Der-Mussa, C. and Fuentes-López, E., 2018. Active transcutaneous bone
conduction implant: audiological results in paediatric patients with bilateral microtia
associated with external auditory canal atresia. International journal of
audiology. 57(1). pp.53-60.
De, S. and et. al., 2018. Prevalence, patient and consultation characteristics of enuresis in
Australian paediatric practice. Journal of paediatrics and child health. 54(6). pp.620-
624.
Gunasekera, H. and et. al., 2018. Agreement between diagnoses of otitis media by audiologists
and otolaryngologists in Aboriginal Australian children. Medical Journal of
Australia. 209(1). pp.29-35.
Tharpe, A. M. and Seewald, R. eds., 2016. Comprehensive handbook of pediatric audiology.
Plural publishing.
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