[Auditory screening in public schools in Bilbao]

In this work we present a hearing screening practised to 2802 six years children, attending to Public Schools in Bilbao area, during 1988, 1989 and 1990. We used the screening audiometry as method, placing the normality level in 30 dB H1 ISO. We obtained a prevalence of 6.6% and a 7.6% of false positives. Transmission hearing losses represent almost 70% and levels of low and moderate hearing loss were the most frequent, reading 88.6%. We also confirmed as parameters that contribute to hearing loss detection, the level and bilaterality of hearing loss, being language delay one of the most frequent reasons of suspicion. We also discovered that the vast majority of hearing losses that cause invalidation, deep and severe, have a perinatal origin, so early screenings would enable and early diagnostic and many benefits. In spite of all the screenings mant hearing losses are not detected, but they are moderate and can never cause incapacitation, being of little hearing relevance.