[A new method for detecting congenital hearing disorders. Infants are screened by measuring otoacoustic emissions].
Despite various infant screening programmes, congenital hearing deficit is normally detected too late. However, the measurement of otoacoustic emissions (OAE) has now proved to be an effective means of assessing neonatal hearing. The article consists in an outline of both international and Swedish experience of universal neonatal screening programmes using OAE testing. Since universal OAE screening was introduced at University Hospital, Linköping, in September 1995, some 6,000 infants have been tested. During the first two years 98.5 per cent of the children participated. Satisfactory bilateral OAE test results were obtained in 97.1 per cent of cases. Where further investigation was necessary, it took the form of auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing during natural rest, or full diagnostic ABR testing under general anaesthesia.
Hergils
L
L
ENT Dept, Universitetssjukhuset, Linköping, Sweden.
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005060:Europe; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D013548:Sweden; D014481:United States