Troublesome tinnitus in childhood and adolescence: Data from expert centres.
OBJECTIVE:
Whilst there are several published studies of the prevalence of
troublesome tinnitus in childhood and adolescence (indicating that up to
a sixth may experience bothersome tinnitus), there is sparse
information regarding incidence.
METHODS: In this study a retrospective
case review of patients aged under 18 with a primary complaint of
tinnitus seen in 2009 was undertaken in four European clinics known to
accept such referrals.
RESULTS: A total of 88 young persons with a
primary complaint of tinnitus were seen in 2009 by these services, and
this represents 3.8% of the paediatric clinical workload of these
services and 0.3% of the total clinical workload in that year.
The
overwhelming majority (93%) of cases were aged 10 years or over at
presentation.
In only 16 cases (18%) was the tinnitus classified as
severe by the reviewing clinician.
Tinnitus was accompanied by
hyperacusis in 34 cases (39%).
CONCLUSIONS: Whilst tinnitus in childhood
or adolescence can be severe, this is rarely seen in the clinic.
Epidemiological data for childhood tinnitus reported previously should
be interpreted with caution, as it is dissonant with the data presented
in the current study.
This may represent an unmet need in the
population, but it may also be the case that the incidence of tinnitus
in childhood and adolescence is low.
FUENTE: International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
2013;Vol 77(2):248 51
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