Pilot Hearing Screening of School-age Children in Lagos, Nigeria

Objectives The aim of this pilot study is to assess the prevalence of hearing disorders in school-age children in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods The study group consisted of 236 children aged 5 to 11 years old. Children were assessed by otoscopy, transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions, and pure-tone audiometry screening. Results Abnormal audiograms were found in 46 (19.5%) of the tested children. Otoscopy data suggest that the most frequent hearing abnormalities were related to cerumen and otitis media. Low agreement (55%) was found between otoacoustic emissions outcomes and pure-tone audiometry data. Conclusion Given the high prevalence of hearing problems in this group of primary school students, there is a strong need to monitor the hearing status of children in this geographical area.