Hearing disorders in childhood, some procedures for detection, identification and diagnostic evaluation

Hearing disability in childhood is a sign/symptom which should be detected, in order to avoid developmental disorders in language, speech, psychological and mental behavior. For proper treatment the hearing thresholds should be identified and the site of lesion evaluated in order to obtain a classification of the hearing loss. The causative factor(s) of the hearing disorder should be evaluated by means of an interdisciplinary cooperation. This review summarizes the results obtained in a series of investigations dealing with some procedures for detection, identification and nosological classification of hearing impairment in childhood. Based on these investigations a model for an examination program is proposed. This model requires interdisciplinary cooperation, preferably established at assessment centers. Prospective studies performed at these centers may offer precise data on the epidemiology of hearing disorders. Consequently preventive measures may be applied in order to reduce the number of children suffering from the symptom of hearing loss.