[Present possibilities of early diagnosis of hearing disorders in children belonging to the youngest age groups].

In a great proportion of children loss of hearing originates during the neonatal period. It is assumed that of 1000 neonates some 6 to 16 children suffer from impaired hearing. By early detection of hearing loss during neonatal and infant age by appropriate treatment, rehabilitation and training it is possible to achieve optimal speech development as well as development of mental and somatic abilities and to ensure to these children an adequate role in society. Early detection of impaired hearing based on screening of risk children already during the neonatal period is based on the use a risk registry. At the same time it is important to make parents and paediatricians of the first line of contact familiar with developmental stages of hearing and speech during the first year of life. Risk children must be dispensarized and they must be objected to orientative examination of hearing by reflex audiometry and other screening methods incl. the method of assessment of evoked otoacoustic emission. By systematic screening is is possible to detect suspected loss of hearing in as many as 60% of risk children. To verify the suspect impaired hearing it is necessary to make an objective examination of hearing by a child otolaryngologist.