Challenges in management of childhood sensorineural hearing loss in sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria

SummaryThe evaluation of a hearing-impaired child attempts to determine the aetiology, the degree of hearing loss and intervention to aid speech and language. This remains a challenge to practising otolaryngologists, especially in the developing countries as 85–90% of causes of hearing losses were never discovered leading to delayed intervention and irreversible effects.In a review of children presenting at the otolaryngology outpatient in the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, sensorineural hearing loss was found in 103, giving a hospital prevalence rate of 14%, we still perceived this figure to be unrepresentatively and low, probably due to poor access to medicare, poverty and other factors. Genetic factor accounted for 25%, followed by measles infections 13% and meningitis 8%. About 60% of them had educationally significant hearing loss at presentation. Access to hearing aid was poor as only 12.5% of the patients could afford it and the rest were managed by deaf training.We conclude by suggesting an audiologic programme which has the comprehensive function of neonatal and infant hearing screening, subsidized hearing aid services and hearing rehabilitation surgery.