摘要
1993年美國國家衛生研究院明文學建議幼童聽力檢是正確且必要的，和嬰幼兒聽力檢是相輔相成。以其圖診斷無明顯症狀之輕、中度聽障，例如先天遲發性感音神或後天性中耳炎所致之聽障。臺灣學前幼童聽力檢計畫，較正式推行系始自1995年，由省婦幼衛生研究所（國民健康局之前身）推行。檢對象是全國各縣市滿3至4歲之幼稚園幼童為可能受檢者。本文目的在回顧研究臺學前幼童聽力篩檢之過去與現況。檢前期（1995-1999）之歷史，期間使用聽聲傳射及鼓室圖為篩檢工具，1995至1999年度間計檢約一萬五千名幼童，初轉介率高達19.5％；複檢結果中耳炎發生率為6.2％，但從中只發現50名輕、中度感音神經性聽障，耳障比率偏低是因為複檢不完整。至於篩檢後期（2000-2002）之現今，是以純音聽力檢查儀為篩檢工具，於2000-2002年度間計篩檢90575幼童，初篩轉介率則為6％，從中發現1061名輕、中度聽障，比率為1.2％。學前幼童之輕、中度聽障，其導致的主要二大原因是中耳炎及感音神經聽障。其症狀以注意力不集中、學習障礙為主，症狀並不明顯。故唯有經學前幼童聽力篩檢，才有可能找山這些輕、中度聽障幼童。較之耳聲傳射，純音檢查用於幼童（3-4歲）之篩檢是適切，合宜的。
並列摘要
In 1993, the U.S. National Institute of Health recommended routine preschool hearing screening in addition to newborn hearing screening. The aim of preschool hearing screening is to identify children with mild to moderate hearing loss. Symptoms are often silent and caused by the delayed onset of congenital hearing loss or acquired otitis media. Since 1995, the Taiwan Maternal And Child Health Institute (formerly the Bureau of Health promotion) has performed hearing screening in preschool children between three and four years of age. This paper retrospectively reviews the past & present status of this preschool hearing screening. During the first period (1995-1999), otoacoustic emissions and tympanograms were used to around fifteen thousand children. The referral rate was about 19.5% and 6.2% had otitis media. Only fifty children (0.3%) with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss were identified – probably an underestimate of the problem due to incomplete follow-up. In the more recent period (2000-2002), pure tone audiometry was used to around ninety thousand children. The referral rate was about 6.0% and 1061 children (1.2%) with mild to moderate hearing loss were identified. Congeital sensorineural hearing loss or acquired otitis media are the most common causes of mild to moderate hearing loss or acquired otitis media are the most common causes of mild to moderate hearing loss in preschool children. Hearing loss is difficult to identify in this group and poor attention during activities of daily living and academic problems may be the only clues since language delays are usually not severe. Audiological screening therefore remains essential for detecting the problems. In preschool children between three and four years of age, pure tone audiometry should be used in preference to otoacoustic emissions for hearing screening.