Over the last decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of hospitals in the United States doing universal newborn hearing screening. In many cases, the implementation of newborn hearing screening programs has proceeded without sufficient attention to the importance of connecting babies referred from screening programs with appropriate audiological diagnosis and medical, audiological, and educational intervention programs. This paper will summarize the current status of early hearing detection and intervention programs with respect to:
a) the status of hospital-based universal newborn hearing screening programs, including the number of hospitals which have implemented programs, the factors which have contributed to such rapid growth, and the most significant obstacles which have interfered with nationwide implementation.
b) the degree to which babies referred from newborn hearing screening programs are receiving appropriate and timely audiological diagnosis.
c) procedures to ensure that infants identified with hearing loss as a result of newborn hearing screening programs receive appropriate medical, audiological, and educational intervention services.
Learning Objectives: na
Keywords: Screening, Neonatal Screening
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.