Low birth weight link to poor hearing
13 September 2002
Low birth weight children are more than 7 times as likely to have impaired hearing than normal birth weight children, a large Norwegian study shows.
After following half a million children for 29 years, the researchers found that children born at term but who weighed less than 1500 g were particularly at risk.
Adjusting for gestational age, viral exanthemata during pregnancy (skin eruptions caused by viruses, e.g. chickenpox and rubella), or malformations did not influence the link (Pediatrics 2002; 110: e30).
But the researchers stopped short of recommending screening low birth weight children for impaired hearing as they said a large proportion of children with impaired hearing will have a normal birth weight.
Last Reviewed: 16 September 2002
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 13/09/02
