Untersuchung zum Hörscreening bei Neugeborenen mittles BERA - Verfahren

At the Benjamin Franklin University of Berlin in Germany exists since 1994 an index registering hearing impairments in children. The data drawn of this register suggests a lack in the early diagnosis of hearing impairment. The mean age of diagnosis lies between 21 and 23 months of age, an age at which the development of the child is already affected. By implementing a general hearing screening in newborns it is wanted to prepone the time of diagnosis. Since July 21st in the year 2000 newborns have been examined at the Philipps University of Marburg by the department of phoniatry and pedaudiology screening for hearing impairments. In Marburg two Screening devices have been used, each of them using brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA). Both devices are portable and so it is possible to perform the examination beyond given facilities at departments for pedaudiology. We were interested in the comparison of both devices and wonted to know if the use of the devices at a ward for newborns is feasible. Beyond this we wanted to know if the examination of both ears of the newborn leads to a not justifiable additional use of time and personnel in comparison to the examination of only one ear. Our study showed that the use of screening devices using BERA technique is feasible at a ward for newborns and we think the additional time and use of personnel when examining both ears is justifiable.