Newborn hearing screening is a quick and painless way to check if your baby has normal hearing or is at risk of hearing loss. Hearing loss can affect your baby’s ability to learn language and communicate with others. Therefore, it is important to detect and treat hearing loss as early as possible.
Newborn hearing screening is a crucial step to ensure that your baby’s hearing is healthy. Here’s what you need to know:
here are some things you should know about newborn hearing screening:
All newborns should have their hearing screened before leaving the hospital or within the first month of life.
There are two methods of hearing screening: otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR). Both methods are safe and non-invasive, and most babies sleep through the screening.
If your baby passes the hearing screening, it means that they have normal or near-normal hearing. However, you should still monitor your baby’s hearing and speech development, as some hearing problems may develop later in life.
If your baby does not pass the hearing screening, it does not necessarily mean that they have a hearing loss. It may be due to noise, fluid, or wax in the ear canal, or other factors. Your baby should have a follow-up diagnostic test by an audiologist before three months of age to confirm the hearing status and determine the type and degree of hearing loss, if any.
If your baby is diagnosed with hearing loss, you should start intervention services as soon as possible. Intervention services may include hearing devices, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, speech therapy, sign language, or other forms of communication. Early intervention can help your baby achieve normal or near-normal speech, language, and hearing milestones.
Intervention Services: Babies with hearing loss should begin intervention services before six months of age. These services can include:
Meeting with professionals trained to work with children with hearing loss and their families.
Learning communication strategies.
Fitting hearing devices like hearing aids.
Joining family support groups.
Remember, finding and addressing hearing loss early helps babies communicate better, perform well in school, and interact with other children. If you have any concerns about your baby’s hearing, consult our expert audiologists at Unicare Speech & Hearing Clinic.
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