Data are reported from this Counties Manukau DHB recall of South Auckland children to attend hearing screening at age 2–3 years after flaws with their newborn hearing screen. All had been well babies with no identified risk factors for hearing loss, so were not scheduled for targeted follow-up to retest hearing. Of 700 children who were recalled, 485 attended. The average age was 36 months. Ethnicity was Pacific Island (41.2%), Asian/Indian (29.1%), NZ European (14.6%), and Māori (12.0%). The deprivation level was high; 45% of the cohort was at the highest deprivation level 10. All children were initially screened by distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) testing. About one-third (36%) failed DPOAE screening; 17% had abnormal type B tympanograms and most (13.6%) of these children also had hearing loss. Twenty-nine children underwent grommet surgery, and 1 child had a perforated tympanic membrane. Failed tympanometry was significantly associated with hearing loss (Chi-squared = 16.67; p<0.001). Five children had permanent sensorineural hearing loss; 2 of them required cochlear implants for idiopathic hearing loss, with no specific risk factors. Overall, around one-fifth (22%) of the children were identified as having hearing problems. Responses from parents or caregivers who completed a 14-item questionnaire about the child’s ear health revealed that 15% of the parents/caregivers had no suspicion of hearing problems, but had children with significant hearing loss. In regression analysis, Pacific/Māori ethnicity was significantly associated with risk of hearing loss, as were hearing problems in children whose parents/caregivers reported hearing problems in the previous 12 months.
