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Abstract

Universal neonatal hearing screening (UNHS) is a prerequisite for early detection of at least 70% of congenital impairments. Croatia has a birth rate of around 40,000 infants per year, spread across 34 maternity units. We introduced UNHS on a national level in 2002 very rapidly, in only few months. Education of maternity professionals was done by distributing video material (created by professional volunteers) to all maternities for free. At the same time, the algorithm for screening, diagnostics and intervention was defined, and a collaboration and information exchange network was established among maternities, audiology units and nongovernment Association for early hearing diagnostics. Booklets for parents were printed and distributed to maternities. Because the duration of natural sleep and sleep under sedation is unpredictable, in our experience the diagnostic procedure is best started by click threshold ABR detection, followed by multi-frequency Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR). Intervention following diagnosis is the most important part of the whole program, and justifies the whole effort of screening and diagnostics. Some countries delay implementation of UNHS due to a lack of qualified professionals. In those societies there are no early interventions, as there are no early diagnostics. The question is: is delaying implementation of UNHS due to insufficient availability of professionals worth it? Our experience teaches us that it is not.

Biography