This document compiles abstracts of papers that were presented at a 3-day conference of experts which developed a consensus statement on early identification of hearing impairment in infants and young children. Papers addressed taxonomy; epidemiology; developmental consequences of early hearing impairment; methodology, instrumentation, and personnel; and models for early identification and follow-up. Abstracts of the following papers are included: "Early Identification of Hearing Impairment in Infants and Young Children" (Robert J. Ruben); "Site of Lesion and Age of Onset" (Jerome O. Klein); "Causal Factors and Concomitant Impairment" (Michael A. Karchmer); "Incidence/Prevalence" (Patrick E. Brookhouser); "At-Risk Populations" (N. Wendell Todd); "Auditory Development" (Joseph W. Hall); "Language Acquisition" (Mary P. Moeller); "Effects of Hearing Impairment on the Development of Speech" (D. Kimbrough Oller); "Social/Emotional and Academic Consequences of Hearing Loss" (Diane Brackett); "Benefits of Screening at Birth: Economic, Educational, and Functional Factors" (Marion P. Downs); "High-Risk Register" (Allan O. Diefendorf); "Behavioral Measures" (Judith S. Gravel); "Acoustic Immittance Measures" (Robert H. Margolis); "Developmental Screening in a Busy Clinic: A Luxury or a Necessity?" (Noel D. Matkin); "Recording the Auditory Brainstem Response in Infants" (Terence W. Picton); "The Auditory Brainstem Response in Infants: Basic Aspects" (Richard C. Folsom); "Auditory Brainstem Response Testing in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit" (Bruce A. Weber); "Evaluation of Hearing in the Neonate Using the Auditory Brainstem Response" (Yvonne S. Sininger); "Hearing Screening of Infants with Auditory Brainstem Response: Protocols, Personnel, and Price" (James W. Hall III); "Otoacoustic Emissions: Basic Aspects" (Theodore J. Glattke); "Utility of Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emissions in Identifying Hearing Impairment in Infants and Young Children" (Brenda L. Lonsbury-Martin); "Characteristics of Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions in Pediatric Populations" (Susan J. Norton); "Practicality, Validity, and Cost-Efficiency of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Using Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions" (Karl R. White); "Models for Early Identification and Followup: An Overview" (Robert G. Turner); "U.S.A. Models" (Thomas M. Mahoney); "Canadian Models and Issues" (Martyn L. Hyde); and "The Public Health Perspective on Screening--U.K. Experience and Recommendations" (Mark P. Haggard). Most papers contain references. (DB)