Risk Indicators for Hearing Loss and Clinical Risk Indicators for Child Development

Introduction: The Clinical Risk Indicators for Child Development (CRICD) have the potential to detect risk for the development as a whole, including to the language, since they seek to assess children from 0 to 18 months, to analyze the course of their development.

Objective: Investigate the Risk Indicators for Hearing Loss (RIHL) in children who are at risk for child development from a Newborn Hearing Screening (NHS) program.

Methodology: The sample consisted of 139 babies aged between 0 and 18 months, who showed “pass” results on NHS. It also analyzed the mother-infant interaction, through the CRICD protocol (KUPFER, 2008) and the presence of RIHL (Lewis et al, 2010).

Results: It was found that of the 139 babies assessed, 38(27.53%) of them presented some CRICD, thereby indicating the possibility of a risk for developing. From these, 8 (21.05%) were premature, 7 (18.42%) remained in ICU, 8 (21.05%) made use of ototoxic medication, and 7 (18.42%) had hyperbilirubinemia. Analyzing the present, CRICD has been the main indicators altered were CRICD 1 (31.57%), CRICD 2(26.31%), CRICD 5(18.42%), and CRICD 8(13.15%). Correlating the most significant RIHL with CRICD, there has been present in the prematurity the CRICD 1, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, and 17; neonatal ICU 1, 5, 6, 12, 14, 16, and 18; ototoxicity 1, 2, 5, 6, 12, 14, and 16; hyperbilirubinemia 1, 3, 5, 8, 12, and 18.

Conclusion: Some RIHL, such as prematurity, ICU permanency, use of ototoxic medication and hyperbilirubinemia are predictive risk factors for child development.