AUDIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN TREATED IN AN OUTPATIENT HEARING HEALTH SERVICE IN SANTA CATARINA

Introduction: Hearing capacity plays a crucial role in child development, influencing language acquisition, social interaction and understanding of the environment. Hearing impairment (HL) stands out as a significant disorder, affecting approximately 34 million children globally. Objective: To longitudinally analyze audiological data from children evaluated at an Outpatient Hearing Health Service in 2018 and followed up for four years in annual outpatient consultations. Methods: Retrospective study with children aged 0 to 12 years who underwent initial assessment for hearing loss and follow-up at the SUS from January 2018 to December 2022. Results: Data from 127 subjects were analyzed (51.20% female and 48, 80% male), with an average age of 20 months. 60.62% were diagnosed with AD, predominantly of the sensorineural type (59.1%). 43.40% developed prelingual AD, and 26.80% remained in the ICU at birth. 37.00% were candidates for bilateral hearing aid adaptation, with class A being more prevalent (15.70%). Conclusion: There was a significant prevalence of hearing impairment in the present study, demonstrating the impact on child development and the urgent need to develop public policies for the child population.