Auditory Brainstem Responses in Newborns With Complete Cleft Palate and Lip at a Japanese Perinatal Center

Abstract

Background: Children with cleft palate sometimes suffer from abnormalities in any part of the ear, especially from the middle ear. It is important to identify hearing loss early by monitoring their auditory sensitivity on a regular basis, in order to minimize complications of abnormal or fluctuating hearing on speech development in patients with cleft palate.

Methods: We examined auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) in 13 Japanese newborns with complete cleft palate and lip at 4.1 2.2 days after delivery compared with sex-, age- and weight-matched 13 Japanese newborns without cleft palate or lip as control.

Results: Wave I component latency (CL) was longer in ABRs of infants with complete cleft palate and lip than control newborns, while waves III and V CLs and the wave I-V interpeak latency (IPL) were not different.

Conclusions: The current results indicate the presence of congenital conductive hearing disturbance in newborns with complete cleft palate and lip.




Int J Clin Pediatr. 2014;3(3):86-88
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/ijcp168w