Targeted neonatal hearing screening in parallel with 7-9 month behavioural testing is more expensive and less effective than universal neonatal screening. Hearing screening in the neonatal period cannot identify acquired or progressive hearing loss occurring subsequently. Risks associated with neonatal hearing screening include anxiety from false positive results and possible delayed diagnosis from false negative results, but these risks are acceptable in view of the expected benefits. Neonatal hearing screening should be considered to be the first part of a programme of habilitation of hearing impaired children, including facilities for diagnosis and assessment. A system of quality control is an essential component of a neonatal hearing screening programme.
Quality control includes training of personnel and audit of performance.
The person responsible for quality control should be identified. Although the healthcare systems in Europe differ from country to country in terms of organisation and funding, implementation of neonatal screening programmes should not be delayed. This will give new European citizens greater opportunities and quality of life into the next millennium.