Why are premature infants at risk for hearing loss?
Premature infants and infants with extremely low birthweight sometimes have difficulty breathing normally. This is called persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN). The treatment for PPHN may be intubation, ventilation, or oxygen treatment. Hearing loss has been associated with these treatments. Babies with PPHN that are very, very sick may require a treatment called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Up to fifty percent of babies that survive treatment may develop hearing loss. The hearing loss often develops after hospital discharge. It is important that these babies receive regular hearing evaluations until they are at least three years of age.
