DEAFNESS IN NEONATES - THE BASIS FOR A SC REENING

Deafness must be recognized in infancy in order to reduce auditory dis ability to a minimum. To achieve this, it is important to implement sc reening programmes as soon after birth as possible. In the United Stat es, the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing recommended in 1982 that ide ntification of hearing loss should be screened in the neonatal period, This early detection is now considered critical for optimal rehabilit ive outcome. This paper presents the ''state of art'' neonatal screeni ng principles and procedures. In France, neonatal screening programs f or auditory dysfunction are not consistent with these principles. Evok ed otoacoustic emissions represent an important advance in screening f or hearing loss in normal neonates and babies from neonatal intensive care units. This method records very low intensity sound energy releas ed by the cochlea in response to a brief sound stimulation. These otoa coustic emissions show promise as a rapid, cost-effective means of qui ckly discharging all babies with normal peripherical auditory systems.