OBJECTIVETo study the audiological characteristics of newborns and infants who failed hearing screening.

METHODSOne hundred and six infants failed hearing screening received follow-up study with routine audiological evaluations (auditory brainstem response, distortion product otoacoustic emission, tympanometry and visual reinforcement audiometry).

RESULTSSixty-five infants (61.3%) of this group were normal hearing subjects and 39(36. 8% ) of the infants had hearing loss. Two cases (1.9%) received follow-up by phone. Fifteen cases (14.2%) with conductive hearing loss and 24 cases (22.6%) with sensorineural hearing loss. Thirteen (12.3%), 14 (13.2%), 6 (5.7%), and 6 (5.7%) cases were found to be mild, moderate, severe and profound hearing loss respectively. Diagnosis of hearing loss in the thirty-nine infants conducted a prevalence of 0.264% (39/14 785) of congenital hearing loss (both binaural and monaural). The hearing level of those cases with severe and profound hearing loss basically did not change, but that of cases with mild and moderate hearing loss changed.

CONCLUSIONSEarly identification and intervention of infants with severe and profound hearing loss by 6 months of age were successful. Infants with mild and moderate hearing loss should be followed up to six or eight months and received routine audiologic evaluations.