Delayed evoked otoacoustic emissions--an ideal screening test for excluding hearing impairment in infants.

A screening test is badly needed with which cochlear hearing impairment in small children and newborns can be detected. Delayed evoked otoacoustic emissions (DEOAEs) have been found in laboratory research to be a very useful tool to test the normality of cochlear preprocessing. The characteristics of a simple apparatus for clinical use to measure DEOAEs are described together with typical examples of emissions. Many case studies have already demonstrated the clinical usefulness of DEOAEs in neonates and small children. Five cases are explained in detail and the advantages of such an early screening test discussed.