Screening Audiometry in Nigerian School Children

Abstract

Summary:  Audiometric screening tests done on 292 six-year old primary school children in Benin, shows that 9.2% of the children had significant hearing impairment with elevation of hearing thresholds (HTL) above recommended screening levels at all or most of the frequericies tested; a total of 31% of all subjects had some threshold elevation although in the majority of cases only one or two fre quencies were affected. Otoscopic abnormalities were evident in a higher proportion of children who had hearing impairment than in those with normal hearing. The need for routine au diometric screening of school children is emphasized.