{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T14:18:02Z","timestamp":1785421082685,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"AOSIS","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785456000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background:\u00a0Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programmes support early identification and management of hearing loss. However, limited data exist on post-diagnostic pathways, amplification uptake, and continuity of care within public-sector paediatric services.\nObjectives:\u00a0To describe management pathways and outcomes of children diagnosed with hearing loss following newborn and infant hearing screening (NIHS) at a tertiary paediatric hospital in the Western Cape.\nMethod:\u00a0A retrospective descriptive cohort study was conducted at the Red Cross War Memorial Children\u2019s Hospital. Records of children under 6 years (August 2019 \u2013 August 2024) with documented NIHS results and confirmed hearing loss were reviewed using departmental databases and a self-developed data extraction tool. Data included demographics, risk factors, diagnostic outcomes, amplification, referrals, and follow-up attendance.\nResults:\u00a0Of 7871 children seen, 511 (6.5%) had NIHS results. Eighty-three underwent diagnostic testing, of whom 72 (86.7%) were diagnosed with hearing loss. The mean age at diagnosis was 17.3 months. Infectious (32.5%) and neurological (28.9%) risk factors predominated. Mild (31.3%) and moderate (33.7%) conductive loss was most frequent. Only 15.3% received amplification, predominantly bilateral behind-the-ear devices. Most children (78.3%) were referred to additional services, primarily otolaryngology (81.5%). Follow-up attendance remained high (85.5%).\nConclusion:\u00a0High follow-up rates contrast with low uptake of amplification, likely reflecting conductive pathology and systemic constraints. Greater integration across audiology, otolaryngology, and early intervention services is needed.\nContribution:\u00a0This study provides contextually relevant evidence on post-diagnostic paediatric hearing care, including amplification uptake, referral patterns, and continuity to follow-up in the South African public sector.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/sajcd.v73i1.1187","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]],"date-time":"2026-07-28T08:19:51Z","timestamp":1785226791000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Management pathways and outcomes of children with hearing loss identified through newborn and infant hearing screening at a tertiary paediatric hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"73","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1046-7435","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Silva","family":"Kuschke","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03p74gp79","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Cape Town"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0530-8712","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ch\u00e9ri","family":"van Zyl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03p74gp79","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Cape Town"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-7806-4964","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mmakgotso","family":"Mokete","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03p74gp79","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Cape Town"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9109-9103","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lebogang","family":"Ramma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03p74gp79","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Cape Town"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Biagio, L., Swanepoel, D.W., Laurent, C., & Lundberg, T. (2014). Paediatric otitis media at a primary healthcare clinic in South Africa. South African Medical Journal, 104(7), 431\u2013435.","DOI":"10.7196\/SAMJ.7534"},{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ching, T.Y.C., Cupples, L., & Marnane, V. (2019). Early cognitive predictors of 9-year-old spoken language in children with mild to severe hearing loss using hearing aids. Frontiers Psychology, 10, 2180. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2019.02180","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2019.02180"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cupples, L., Ching, T.Y.C., Button, L., Leigh, G., Marnane, V., Whitfield, J., Gunnourie, M., & Martin, L. (2018). Language and speech outcomes of children with hearing loss and additional disabilities: Identifying the variables that influence performance at five years of age. 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