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Maine Newborn Hearing Screening
Questions & Answers
Why Should My Baby’s Hearing Be Screened?
An estimated three out of 1000 babies are
born with hearing loss each year in the United States. Although it
is unlikely that your baby will have a hearing loss, if he or she
does, it is important that it be diagnosed as soon as possible. Many
parents believe that they would know if their baby had a hearing
loss. This is not always the case.
The first years of life are the
most important for developing language and speech. If a child’s
hearing loss is not found until he or she is 1 ˝ to 2 ˝ years old,
serious delays in development can occur. On the other hand, research
shows that when hearing loss is found within the first several
months of life and proper intervention is received, he or she is
more likely to develop normal language and academic skills.
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How Will My Baby’s Hearing Be Screened?
Since your baby cannot tell us what she hears, her hearing sensitivity may be
estimated using two different methods, both of which are completed while your baby
is sleeping naturally.
One method measures OAEs (Otoacoustic Emissions). Tones or clicking sounds are
presented to your baby's ear through a soft probe in the ear canal. Healthy
inner ears will emit a sound back to the probe in response to those tones or
clicks. This response is then analyzed by a computer.
The second method is the ABR test (Auditory Brainstem Response). Soft clicking
sounds are presented to your baby’s ear through small earphones. A computer
measures the response of the hearing nerve pathways from sensors that are placed
on the forehead and on, or near, the baby’s ears.
Both of these tests are very safe.
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How Long Do the Screenings Take?
Each screening test may take only minutes to complete, while more in-depth tests
may take much longer, depending on how well and how long your baby sleeps.
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What Do the Results “Pass” and
“Refer” mean?
If your baby receives a “Pass”, you
can feel reasonably comfortable that his or her hearing is normal at
the time of the screening. Because certain unusual types of hearing
loss may not be detected by these methods, and because hearing loss
can develop later, it is important that you pay attention to your
child’s hearing and speech as he or she grows. If you should ever
feel that your baby does not hear well, be sure to tell your child’s
primary care provider about your concerns.
If you baby receives a “Refer”
result (which is not uncommon), it may be the result of left-over
debris in the ear canal after birth, or too much noise in the test
environment. A “Refer” result may also mean that your baby has a
hearing loss. A second screening test or more in-depth testing is
strongly recommended.
Updated on:
03/07/2008
