What Should I Do? No items found. Recent Posts Bilateral Amplification. Understanding an Audiogram. Useful Information. Book Recommendations. LSL Strategies. Hearing Tips. Hearing Loss Strategies. Hearing Devices. To find out if your baby was screened contact your baby's doctor - the results of the screen will be in your baby's medical records. You can also contact the hospital your baby was born at and ask if a newborn hearing screen is regularly performed. You can also call for more information or check out your state's page to find your local Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Coordinator.
It is important to remember that an out-of-range screening result does not necessarily mean that your child has hearing loss. Between 2 and 10 percent of all babies across the United States do not pass their first hearing screen, but very few of these babies have permanent hearing loss. Babies can fail the newborn hearing screening due to vernix in the ear canal, fluid in the middle ear, or because of movement or crying during the test.
However, since a few babies actually do have hearing loss, it is very important that you go to your follow-up appointment for a confirmatory test.
All babies who do not pass their newborn hearing screen are referred, or directed for treatment, to an audiologist for a complete audiology hearing evaluation. A baby who does not pass the newborn hearing screen is one whose hearing does not respond to the newborn hearing screen. The audiologist will perform a few tests to determine if hearing loss is present and if so, the degree and type of hearing loss. An audiologist is someone who has a masters or doctorate degree that specializes in hearing loss.
An audiologist can be your greatest asset in determining proper treatment for your baby's hearing loss. The audiologist will work closely with your pediatrician and early intervention specialists to ensure that your baby receives proper treatment. The audiologist may recommend your baby for a genetics evaluation. The doctor will ask you questions about your family health history and pregnancy history and examine your baby for symptoms that are commonly associated with syndromic hearing loss.
The results of each baby's newborn hearing screening are reported to their respective state's EHDI programs. The data from the screening, as well as any follow up testing, can be used for research purposes. The CDC uses this information to assess the impact of the promotion of infant hearing screening, if timely follow-up evaluations are occurring, and how successful early intervention services are.
The CDC also funds and regulates hearing loss surveillance and research. Newborn hearing screening is designed to detect hearing loss as early as possible. However, a few babies can pass a hearing test and still have hearing loss. Some develop hearing loss later in childhood due to illness or certain genetic conditions. Even if your child has passed a hearing screen before, it is important to look out for the following signs:.
These differences can be related to the degree of the hearing loss, the type of the hearing loss and the cause of the hearing loss. In general, a treatment plan for hearing loss includes close monitoring and regular follow-up. It can change as your child grows older and begins school.
Some treatment and intervention options include the following:. Early intervention services are available to help children with hearing loss gain important speech, language, and social skills.
Babies who are diagnosed with hearing loss through newborn screening should be referred to early intervention services as soon as possible. Research shows that children identified with hearing loss who begin services before 6 months old develop language spoken or signed on a par with their hearing peers. Click here to contact your state Early Intervention coordinator.
Professionals in education, other parents and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing all have strong feelings about the best way for your baby to learn and communicate. As parents, however, you have the right and responsibility to decide what's best to help your child communicate with others and succeed in school. It's important to gather information on all communication approaches when making this important decision, including sign language, listening and spoken language, or a combination of visual and auditory methods.
Click here to learn more about all of these options. Children with hearing loss whose hearing loss is identified early and receive immediate treatment develop better speech and language skills and have fewer developmental delays. Early intervention can also lead to better performance in school.
It is important to identify babies with hearing loss because children begin learning as soon as they are born. One way they learn is by listening to the sounds and language in their environment. A trained hearing screener carries out the hearing screening test. Two main tests are done to screen a newborn:. ABR Auditory Brainstem Response — The tester attaches leads to your baby's forehead, back of their neck and behind their shoulder, using sticky pads.
Small earphone 'cups' are then placed over the baby's ears. The earphones make soft clicking sounds and the leads measure the response from your baby's ears. OAE Otoacoustic Emissions — A small soft-tipped earpiece is placed in the outer part of your baby's ear, which sends clicking sounds down the ear.
When an ear receives sound, the inner part, known as the cochlea, usually produces an echo. The screening equipment can pick up a response. These tests only take a few minutes and do not hurt your baby. The hearing screening test will usually be done while your baby is asleep or settled. You can stay with your baby while the screening test is done. You'll get the results as soon as the test is finished. The results will be written in your baby's Personal Health Record book , sometimes known as the 'green book' 'red book' or 'blue book' in some states.
Some babies need to have a second test to achieve a clear result. It is very hard to tell how well a young baby can hear by watching their behaviour so it is important that the hearing screen is repeated.
The audiologist will see your baby as soon as possible if they do not pass the follow-up hearing screen in both ears. If your baby passes the hearing screen in only 1 ear, the audiologist will see your baby at about 2 to 3 months of age, or sooner if possible. The audiologist will do a full hearing assessment.
If there is a hearing problem, the tests will also show whether it's likely to be temporary or permanent and your child will receive appropriate treatment and support.
You will also be asked to sign a form confirming that when the screen was offered you declined. Hearing can be tested at any age.
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