Newborn Hearing Testing

Did you know that about two to three of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears? And that more than 90 percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents?

While hearing loss in infants is a terribly prevalent problem, it’s important to catch and diagnose hearing loss as early as possible, especially in children. Children with undiagnosed hearing loss can lead to issues with delayed development, leaving children behind in many academic areas.

Because of this risk, many states have mandated early hearing detection and intervention programs. The programs require every infant to undergo a hearing screening prior to discharge from the hospital after birth.

1. How is the test performed?

The screening is performed by an audiologist. They will use a microphone to test the amount of otoacoustic emissions – sounds emitted by the tiny hairs in the ears – produced by the ear. The microphone will pick up the sound as an echo; if a baby has hearing loss, no echo will be measured.

An audiologist may also perform an auditory brainstem response. During this test, electrodes are placed on the baby’s head. These electrodes will pick up on the brain’s response to sound. If no response is recorded, it could indicate that the nerves are not picking up sound.

2. What if my child fails the test?

Infants who do not pass the screening will receive a second diagnostic evaluation before three months of age. Should the infant have issue with the second test, they may be enrolled in early intervention programs by six months of age.

Looking into the future

For infants who are diagnosed with hearing loss, it is important for their parents to work with their pediatrician and hearing healthcare professional to help create a plan for development. As mentioned before, children with hearing loss can fail to thrive emotionally and cognitively along with their peers. Having a team of support for therapy and solutions for hearing loss can help a child – and their parents – through what can be at times, a difficult journey.