SCREENING PROCEDURES USED TO IDENTIFY CHILDREN WITH HEARING-LOSS

This study focused on the hearing-screening procedures used to identif y children who have hearing losses who were later enrolled in SKIHI p arent/infant programs throughout the country. Responses to a questionn aire for 1,404 children indicated that although auditory brainstem res ponse (ABR) technology provided the lowest mean identification age, in formal hearing-screening procedures (parental suspicion and referral) were the procedure of identification for 80% of the children. The data suggest that formal screening programs are not presently locating the vast majority of infants who have hearing losses. Recommendations for professional and parental education in the area of hearing-loss scree ning are provided.