Childhood deafness in Australia. Incidence and maternal rubella, 1949-1980.

A survey of children born between 1949 and 1980 who are known to have been fitted with hearing aids in Australia by the age of 18 years reveals a ratio of 2.605 cases for every 1000 liver births. This incidence of childhood deafness is higher than previously reported, as a result of the greater number of birth years considered. Approximately 41.2% of these children have severe or profound deafness. A history of maternal rubella was reported in 11.06% of cases, but a significant reduction in the number of reported rubella cases after 1976 has led to correspondingly fewer diagnoses of severely and profoundly deaf children.