Q & A

Why do newborns need their hearing tested?

Babies learn from the moments they are born. One of the ways they learn is hearing. If they have problems with their hearing and don't receive proper care, they will have trouble with social, cognitive, and academic development. When hearing loss is identified and treated before the child is six months old, there is a much better chance of developing good language skills. Those children identified after six months of age will have a more difficult time.

Can our baby hear?

Many parents believe their infant can hear because she may startle at sudden loud noises, he may turn his head towards sounds, or she babbles. The truth is, hearing is much like vision. A person may be able to see things, but not see them very clearly, just as a child may hear some sounds but not hear them clearly. Most children with hearing loss can hear some sounds, but not well enough to develop normal language skills.

How is the test done?

A nurse, specially trained for testing infants, places a tiny probe just inside the child's ear. The probe measures the echoes produced when sounds are played into the baby's ear. The test is very quick and very easy. It will not hurt your child. The test generally takes less than five minutes for each ear. Many times, the child will sleep right through the screening. The test is very reliable and accurate in detecting hearing loss.

When should we test our baby?

The Minnesota Department of Health and most health care providers recommend all newborns be tested before they are one month old. Although it is never too late to test a child, testing before your child is one month old is always best.

Who supports newborn hearing screening?

• National Institutes of Health
• National Center for Environmental Health
• National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
• Minnesota Department of Health
• Joint Committee on Infant Hearing
  • American Academy of Otolaryngology
  • American Academy of Audiology
  • American Academy of Pediatrics
  • American Speech, Language and Hearing Association
• Healthy People 2010
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.