Universal newborn hearing screening: the Belgian experience

Abstract Issue Worldwide 466 million people suffer from hearing loss (HL), of whom 34 million children. Early detection of HL in newborns through screening and subsequent intervention significantly improve their developmental and psychosocial outcome. The WHA adopted a resolution on prevention of deafness and HL (2017), urging the member states 'to develop, implement and monitor screening programs for early identification of ear diseases'. Population based newborn hearing screening (PNHS) by automated otoacoustic emission (AOAE) and/or automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) is considered... Mehr ...