The primary purpose of newborn hearing screening is to identify newborns who are likely to have hearing loss and who require further evaluation. A secondary objective is to identify newborns with medical conditions that can cause late-onset hearing loss and establish a plan for continued monitoring of their hearing status.
How does it work?
Newborn hearing screening is pain-free and takes around 5 to 10 minutes to complete. The screening may be done while your baby is sleeping or lying still.
Common Causes
- Frequent ear infections
- Measles or meningitis
- Head injuries
- Exposure to loud noises
- Secondhand smoke
Newborn babies begin to learn language skills by listening to and interacting with those around them. If babies miss these opportunities, their language development can be delayed. Many times, children’s hearing loss is not obvious and can go unnoticed for months or even years. Hearing screening at birth can determine if your baby may have a hearing loss and if more tests are needed. An early diagnosis is essential to help babies who are deaf or hard of hearing reach their full potential, and allows families to make decisions about the intervention services that are best for their baby’s needs.
What if my newborn fails the hearing test?
If your baby does not pass the newborn hearing screening, a follow-up screening or hearing test will be needed in the days or weeks after leaving the birthing hospital. This is a crucial step in determining whether your baby has hearing loss. Some newborns who need a follow-up hearing screening or a hearing test have normal hearing—BUT some have hearing loss. If your newborn does not pass the hearing screening, it is important to make an appointment with an audiologist for a complete infant hearing test.
What if my newborn passes the hearing test?
Most newborns who pass the hearing screening have normal hearing. However, some newborns might hear well enough to pass a screening, even though their hearing is not perfectly normal. It is a screening and not a diagnostic test, and so the newborn hearing screening cannot properly identify 100 percent of babies with hearing loss. Additionally, some newborns may pass the screening at birth, yet they can lose hearing from illness, medications, or genetic reasons.
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