Early audiological diagnostic in newborn and infant
M. Georgescu, S. Vladareanu
Abstract: Congenital hearing loss is a frequently met congenital condition, invisible, with extremely severe consequences upon child and his family. Late detection of this sensorial handicap, deafness, and absence of an appropriate treatment leads to double handicap – children become deaf and mute. Newborn hearing screening can be performed since day 2 or 3 of life, by automatic methods which do not imply audiology trained personnel. Otoacoustic emission and brainstem auditory evoked response are fast, non-invasive tests which can be performed in baby’s natural sleep. The utility of newborn hearing screening is obvious and demonstrated by medical reports. This led to international available specific testing protocols and also an ideal scheme of testing in order to assure hearing aid provider and speech therapy from 6 month of age. In Romania, the National Program of newborn hearing screening started in 2006, at the Institute of Phono-Audiology and Functional Surgery’s initiative, but not until no full national cover, law-driven screening and rigorous follow-up of REFER babies was obtained.
DOI:10.18643/gieu.2015.131