Auditory neuropathy/auditory dys-synchrony in school children with hearing loss: frequency of occurrence

Objective: The frequency of occurrence of a recently identified hearing disorder, auditory neuropathy/auditory dys-synchrony (AN/AD), was investigated in children with hearing impairment in Hong Kong. Methods: In this study, 56 students, aged 7-18 years, attending primary divisions in schools for the hearing impaired were screened using otoacoustic emission procedures. Results: One student in the study group was found to have intact outer hair cell function. A detailed diagnostic assessment of this case strongly suggested AN/AD was involved. Combining the study results with those of a previously conducted survey in Hong Kong, the frequency of occurrence of AN/AD in children attending schools for the hearing impaired was estimated to be 2.44% (3 out of 123 children screened). Estimates of the frequency of occurrence of AN/AD in various other educational settings in Hong Kong were also derived. Conclusions: The study indicates that AN/AD is not an extremely rare disorder. Educational audiologists and other health care professionals need to be actively involved in the identification and management of AN/AD. Research should be directed at technological innovations that may help to overcome the limitations of present screening procedures, in order to more accurately identify the disorder. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.