Characteristics of tinnitus in childhood

Abstract

Despite its incidence, there are still few reports in literature relating to tinnitus in children. Almost all data were collected by means of questionnaires or in a limited population of children. In order to collect data in a homogeneous way and directly from the patients, the protocol of study proposed by Savastano has been applied to 1,100 children. The results showed tinnitus as present in 374 children but only 6.5% of the cases complained spontaneously about it. In all, 76.4% of the children demonstrated normal hearing, whereas 64.5% reported being bothered by their tinnitus. Tinnitus measurements were obtained and are reproducible in all patients older than 8 years of age. The loudness level was <10 dB in 48.6% of cases, which was higher than 10 dB in 51.4%. As for the frequency distribution, in most cases it appears to be between 0 and 1,000 Hz. There is a correspondence between the loudness level and masking level. A total inhibition of <60 s for most children with lower loudness was obtained. The present study demonstrates that the application in the infancy of a specific protocol of study allows the presence of tinnitus to be discovered, giving specific and detailed information about it so as to minimize its damage to be obtained. Moreover, for the first time, data regarding the measurement of tinnitus in childhood has been gathered.

Epidemiology of Tinnitus in Children

“…Aust [20] screened children who sought help for otological complaints and Savastano [4] evaluated a general population of children using a specific protocol to investigate tinnitus (Table 6.2). They found tinnitus in 7% and 34%, respectively.…”

“…The frequency with which they mention the symptom spontaneously ranges from 1.6% to 6.5% [1][2][3][4]. Therefore, the observed proportion of children who seek professional help does not represent all children with tinnitus.…”

Tinnitus is prevalent in children with cochlear implants

“…This symptom has been recognized in children since the early 1970s [1], but is given relatively limited consideration in the literature [2]. This is generally because children, unlike adults, rarely complain of tinnitus spontaneously [3].…”

National linguistic validation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). Assessment of disability caused by tinnitus in chilean spanish-speaking population

“…The subjective tinnitus cannot be perceived by another person, whereas the other can be identified by the examiner by means of auscultation or another method 8 . Likewise, we can distinguish the pulsatile tinnitus and the not-pulsatile; the first one is usually vascular, especially in unilateral tinnitus concordant with the patients' pulsations 6 . Also it can be classified as unilateral and bilateral…”

“…In the UK up to 5% of the adult population is at least moderately annoying by tinnitus and in 1% severely affects its QOL 2,5 . Its prevalence increases with age, focusing on over 45 year-old males 6 . In children has been described in 6.5% of patients, although up to 34% refers tinnitus when directly questioning 7 .…”