We have just started newborn hearing screening in Belgrade at the Clinical Centre of Serbia. We are using the ILO Otodynamics Analyzer to acquire transient evoked emissions (with the Quickscreen protocol).TEOAEs are obtained from both ears in patients with, and without risk factors with history for hearing loss. The testing is performed from the 1st day after delivery but in some cases newborns are examined the 2nd day of life etc. Newborns from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are examined one week before discharge.
       The screening procedure has two stages and the tests are performed by an audiology specialist. All newborns are tested twice with TEOAEs and those who did not pass the second test (uni or bilaterally) are referred for additional audiologic tests, three months later, to confirm or exclude hearing loss. (tympanometry, and BERA). So far the biggest technical issue is the ambient noise.
       In our program we have used education materials for the parents (pamphlets about the screening program), but we have noticed that some parents do not want to have their baby screened. Our Neonatologist colleagues have suggested, that parents should sign a written permission before their baby is screened).
      It is hoped that despite these initial technical and and administration obstacles , the hearing screening program will spread to our territory successfully.

Date of the Report : January 2004
Contact:  Dragoslava Djeric Ph.D. (head of program) or Dr. Snezana Babac
Address: Clinical centre of Serbia, in Belgrade: Toneta Tomsica 2/58 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
FAX: 
e-mail : Snezana Babac