A program evaluation of Kids2Hear, a student-run hearing screening program for school children.

BACKGROUND: Hearing deficits in children are demonstrably negatively associated with language acquisition and cognition. Although universal neonatal hearing screening exists, it is not offered equally across Canada. Additionally, children emigrating from other countries are often not assessed. The objective of this study is to evaluate Kids2Hear, a free hearing screening program run by medical students at elementary schools, and to determine the rate of hearing deficits that were identified and referred for evaluation.

METHODS: Retrospective analysis of screening program data from 228 participants seen at three inner-city elementary schools over six months.

RESULTS: In our sample, the mean age was 5.8 ± 1.0 years with 48 % males. Approximately 21 participants (9.3 %) were screened positive for a hearing deficit and required referral for supplementary audiological evaluation. About 44 participants (19.3 %) were referred to a family physician for otoscopic abnormalities. Females were significantly more likely to be identified for both hearing deficits and otoscopic abnormalities.

CONCLUSIONS: Hearing deficits and otoscopic abnormalities are common among young children. Female children may be at higher risk for developing hearing issues or otoscopic abnormalities compared to males. Additional research is needed to determine the effectiveness of hearing screening programs.