Hearing and language screening in preschoolers

ABSTRACT Purpose: to describe the results of preschooler hearing and language screening and the association between them. Methods: a study with 75 children enrolled in preschool. The language was screened with the Behavior Observation Guide for 0-to-6-Year-Old Children. The hearing of children up to 1 year and 11 months old was screened with meatoscopy, acoustic immittance, behavioral hearing assessment, and otoacoustic emissions, while those in the age range 2 years or older were screened with meatoscopy, acoustic immittance, and play pure-tone audiometry. The children who failed the screening were referred for diagnosis. The results of the hearing and language assessments were compared with the McNemar test. Results: of the 75 children screened, 18 (24%) failed the hearing tests and 11 (15%) failed the language test. Hearing impairment was confirmed in 12 (66%) of those referred for diagnosis, and language impairment, in 10 (90%) of them. There was no association between hearing and language impairments (p = 0.230). Conclusion: hearing and language impairments were found in preschoolers. Although they were not associated, they can impact academic performance. This result emphasizes the need for developing strategies to implement preschooler screening programs that include hearing and language.

摘要
研究目的：描述学龄前儿童听力与语言筛查的结果及其二者间的关联。
研究方法：本研究纳入75名学龄前儿童，采用《0~6岁儿童行为观察指南》开展语言筛查。针对1岁11个月及以下的儿童，采用耳镜检查、声导抗测试、行为测听及耳声发射进行听力筛查；对于2岁及以上的儿童，则采用耳镜检查、声导抗测试及游戏纯音测听。筛查未通过的儿童将被转诊至相关机构接受确诊。采用麦克尼马尔检验（McNemar test）对比分析听力与语言评估的结果。
研究结果：在75名接受筛查的儿童中，18名（24%）未通过听力测试，11名（15%）未通过语言测试。转诊确诊的儿童中，12名（66%）确诊为听力障碍，10名（90%）确诊为语言障碍。未发现听力障碍与语言障碍存在统计学关联（p=0.230）。
研究结论：本研究发现学龄前儿童存在听力与语言障碍。尽管二者并无统计学关联，但均可对学业表现造成不良影响。该结果凸显了制定包含听力与语言筛查的学龄前儿童筛查方案的必要性。