Introduction: The early diagnostic and intervention in the hearing alterations are of fundamental importance in the infantile development. The register of the otoacoustic emissions has been enlargement indicated for being a fast exam, easily applied. Aim: The objectives of the present study were to value the peripheral hearing function of full term neonate and adequate and small preterm neonate for the gestacional age, by the research of the transient otoacoustic emissions, identifying the prevalence of hearing alterations in this population; to verify the influence from the variable gestacional ages and weight in the moment of the birth, as well as the kinds of treatment, mechanics ventilations, administration of ototoxicity medicines and the permanence in the incubator and to analyze the factors that interfere in the programs of neonatal hearing screening. Study design: Clinical prospective. Material and method: There were appraised 157 children, whose 43 were born full term, 79 preterm adequate to gestacional age and 35 small preterm to gestacional age. It had been observed that premature neonates fail more in the answers from otoacoustic emissions. Results: The prevalence of conductive hearing impairment in the population studied was from 29 ears to 1000 and for the sensory-neural hearing impairment from the 16 to 1000. The low weight children in the birth were the most difficult to be appraised. The transient otoacoustic emissions were observed from the beginning of 27 gestacional weeks old. The kinds of treatments used were factors that influenced negatively in the answers of the otoacoustic emissions in premature groups. Conclusion: The early diagnostic work of the hearing impairment must be objective of the interdisciplinary team -- neonatologist, pediatrician, ear/nose and throat doctor, audiologist and speech-language pathologist, nurse and relatives -- and must be followed, immediately, by the early interventions programs.
hearing; prematures; neonates; transient otoacoustic emissions
