Even before babies are born, they use their hearing to listen to the sounds around them. Listening to people speaking in the first few months of their life is what prepares babies to speak themselves. Hearing problems can have a major impact on a child and delay both speech and language, which greatly impacts academic, social, and emotional development. However, when hearing problems are identified early and appropriate intervention is in place, children can stay on track with their peers.
Hospitals screen newborns for many conditions, from genetic disorders that cause birth defects to thyroid disorders. In Ohio, there are over 125,000 births annually and 1-2 of every 1000 babies are born with hearing loss. Due to the great advantages of early hearing detection and intervention, Ohio law requires that all newborns have a newborn hearing screening before going home from the hospital.
At the hospital, two simple tests can be done to screen a baby’s hearing. The first is called auditory brainstem response, or ABR. This involves placing three small monitors on your baby’s head, neck, or shoulder, and small earphones are placed in the baby’s ears so the baby can hear soft sounds.
The second is called otoacoustic emissions, or OAEs, and it involves soft foam or rubber tips placed in the baby’s ears while the baby hears soft sounds. For both tests, the baby can rest comfortably and usually even sleeps while listening to sounds as the screening equipment measures an automatic response from the baby’s hearing system. If a baby passes the screening, this means that hearing loss at birth was not found. But it does not rule out further hearing problems.
If a baby does not pass the screening, then additional testing is needed to confirm the baby’s hearing ability. This is called a “non-pass” or “refer” screening result. It does not mean your baby has a hearing problem, only that more testing by an audiologist is needed to understand how your baby is hearing.
At Nationwide Children’s, if your baby needs a diagnostic hearing test, we will help schedule an appointment with our team of audiologists, or we can give you a list of audiologists in your area who you can contact. If a hearing problem is found after further testing, there are many programs available to help you and your baby. These programs can help to promote and support your child’s development.
Even if your baby passes the hearing screening at birth, it is important to monitor their responses to voices and environmental sounds as they continue to grow and develop. Many factors can cause hearing problems through development from common ear infections to more complicated concerns. Any time a parent has concerns with their baby’s hearing or speech and language development they should follow up with their pediatrician.
If you are concerned about your baby’s hearing, speech or language, please call your pediatrician and ask for a hearing test by an audiologist. Hearing can be tested at any age, and it’s important to seek help as soon as possible!
Ursula M. Findlen, PhD, is the Research Director in the Division of Clinical Therapies- Audiology Department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor-Clinical at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery. She earned her Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Speech and Hearing Science from The Ohio State University.
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