Newborn hearing screening programmes aim to identify hearing loss early; however, infants with recognised risk factors may have different screening outcomes, including false-negative results. This study evaluates screening outcomes, diagnostic yield, and false-negative rates among at-risk infants.
Clinicians managing at-risk newborns should maintain structured audiological surveillance beyond initial screening, as false-negative rates indicate that a single screen is insufficient for this population.
Quantifying false-negative rates in at-risk newborns strengthens the evidence base for risk-stratified surveillance protocols, which can meaningfully reduce delayed diagnosis of congenital and early-onset hearing loss.
- 01At-risk newborns have higher rates of missed hearing loss (false negatives) on initial screening.
- 02Ongoing audiological surveillance is recommended beyond the newborn screen for high-risk infants.
- 03Study reports diagnostic outcomes including sensitivity and specificity metrics for this population.
- 04False-negative results may lead to delayed intervention if surveillance protocols are not followed.
- 05Findings support enhanced monitoring guidelines for infants with risk factors for hearing loss.
Newborn hearing screening produces false-negative results in infants at risk of hearing loss.
studysupportedOngoing surveillance is necessary to catch hearing loss missed by initial newborn screening in at-risk infants.
studysupported- PMID
- 42143905
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ijporl.2026.112852.
- Journal
- International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- Newborns and infants identified as at risk for hearing loss
- Intervention
- Newborn hearing screening with follow-up surveillance
- Comparator
- Standard screening outcomes / pass-refer thresholds
Primary outcomes
Diagnostic accuracy of newborn hearing screening in at-risk infants; False-negative rate; Role of ongoing surveillance in detecting missed hearing loss
