Recommended Medical Protocol for Newborns
Confirmed with Hearing Loss
Notification To:
Parents
Primary Care Provider
Colorado Hearing Resource Coordinator (CO-Hear Coordinator)*
Primary Care Provider: Initiates and supervises evaluation and the
referral process to ENT otology, genetics, audiologists, and therapists.
History:
Prenatal
Ototoxic medication exposure
Any significant complications during pregnancy
Immunization to Rubella
Syphilis screening
Maternal drug use
Frequent spontaneous abortions
Perinatal
*High Risk Factors
Family
*Other family members with hearing loss with onset of age less than 30
*Desire to have other children
Physical:
Minor Anomalies: Unusual morphologic features occurring in less than 5% of
the population with no cosmetic or functional significance.
Major Anomalies: Those causing cosmetic and/or functional abnormality i.e.
cleft palate, cardiac, limb or skeletal deformities.
Poor growth and/or microcephaly, abnormal neurologic examination
Lab:
Urine culture for CMV prior to 3 weeks of age, if possible.
ANY of the above positive: ENT/Otology and Genetics referrals
ALL of the above negative: ENT/Otology referrals
ENT/OTOLOGY EVALUATION of Newborn/Infant with Confirmed Hearing Loss
History:
Prenatal, Perinatal, Family and Behavioral
Physical:
Head & Neck examination
Head circumference
Review of prior testing i.e. ABR and OAE results
Evaluation:
Infectious Diseases: CMV, Rubella, Syphilis, Toxoplasmosis
Urinalysis
Ophthalmologic examination
CT high resolution of temporal bones
ABR for threshold (if not previously done)
Otoacoustic emissions (if not previously done)
Referrals:
Genetics
Audiology Assessment (see Audiology guide lines)
Colorado Hearing Regional Coordinator
Early Intervention - Language/Speech Therapy
If not currently being provided
GENETIC EVALUATION of Newborn/Infant with Confirmed Hearing Loss
History:
Pregnancy
Family pedigree
Developmental
Physical:
General Pediatric examination
Careful dysmorphologic examination
Neurologic/developmental evaluation
Diagnostic Tests:
Hearing tests on first degree relatives (parents and siblings)
Ophthalmologic examination by 6 months of age.
TORCH titers or CMV specific IgG and IgM if under 6 months.
All other laboratory tests depend upon clinical evaluation and history but may include the
following:
Chromosomes if dysmorphic
EKG
Skeletal survey if there is short stature or disproportional growth.
Evaluation of other systems: renal, cardia, skin
CT or MRI of brain if neurologically abnormal
Specialized genetic studies: molecular, gene testing, etc.
|