Karakteristik Penderita Tuli Kongenital pada Anak di Kota Medan

Abstract

The incidence of congenital deafness that does not receive adequate intervention presents a significant challenge in pediatric population, which has an impact on speech, social, cognitive, and academic development. This issue is compounded if there is no early detection or intervention. Approximately 90% of individuals diagnosed with hearing loss come from low-to middle-income countries, making it a public health problem with a large social and financial burden. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of deafness in children in North Sumatra Province. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study utilized a questionnaire administered to 116 mothers of children with congenital deafness, complemented by medical records from the Adam Malik General Hospital. We use distribution tables to analyze the data and understand the study population Results: Data from 116 patients (January 2018 to April 2023) were analyzed. Males constituted 56%, with 77.6% being over 5 years old. The primary risk factor was maternal ototoxic drug use (22.4%). Hearing loss was suspected in 69% of the patients and was diagnosed in 79.3% of the children > 1 year of age. Interventions commenced in 89.7% of the children aged >1 year. Among these, 81% used hearing aids, 9% used bone-anchored hearing aids, and 18.1% used CIs. Habilitation measures began after one year in 91.4%. Speech therapy was used in 51.7% of the patients, with 44.2% undergoing it for >1 year. Mixed communication skills were observed in 61.2% of the participants, while 59.5% had limited abilities. Most of the children (84.5%) attended special schools. Conclusion: The findings revealed a significant delay in diagnosing and treatment of congenital deafness, which was further examined through a comparative analysis of prior studies.