A new medical breakthrough could save thousands of babies from hearing loss.
An antibiotic called gentamicin can cause hearing loss when given to babies at signs of infection. Now there’s a fast test that will help prevent gentamicin-induced hearing loss.
Gentamicin Induced Hearing Loss
According to the Independent, if a newborn in the UK has even a suggestion of an infection, they are given an antibiotic called gentamicin. Statistically, this means that one in ten of every newborn is given the drug. This adds up to a staggering 90,000 babies per year. Also, the babies are given this drug if they need intensive care treatment or any form of surgery. Some babies have a genetic variant, which will result in gentamicin-induced hearing loss.
Breakthrough
Genedrive, a Manchester-based firm, has recently made a serious breakthrough. They’ve come up with a simple test that determines whether gentamicin is safe to use. It involves a single cheek swab given to the baby. The swab is then placed in a handheld machine. Shortly after, about 25 minutes, the results are available.
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