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Hearing loss in infants and children, despite its relatively high incidence and possible detrimental outcomes, is commonly overlooked. Currently, no program for newborn hearing screening has been established in Korea, although early detection and early intervention of hearing loss in infants will significantly influence the developmental course of speech and language skills. The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing recommends that all children should be screened for hearing impairment before age 3 months of age and medical or audiologic interventions be instituted before 6 months of age when indicated. Generally, a two－staged protocol employing automated auditory brainstem respons (AABR) and otoacoustic emission(OAE) is recommended for newborn hearing screening, and its sensitivity reaches nearly 100%. Once hearing loss is diagnosed, further evaluation of the severity, nature, and the cause of hearing loss should follow, and interventions including amplification and rehabilitation should be started as soon as possible.
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