Hearing Screening

It is the evaluation of a persons or babies sense of hearing. The hearing screening is a simple and non harmful objective procedure.

It helps in early detection of a hearing problem, whether present or absent in a baby.

The hearing screening in newborns is universally recommended in every Pediatric hospital.

The screening is routinely performed as close to time of discharge as possible to allow for greatest maturation and to increase the likelihood that testing can be performed with a minimum of electrical interference from incubators, infusion pumps, and monitors.

The hearing screening shows the response of the child’s hearing as PASS or FAIL.

Why should we go to audiologist again if hearing screening fails?

Of the newborns who receive a hearing screening in the hospital (Apart from sound treated room) from 3-10% will fail the test, depending on the pass criterion used. Failure of a hearing screening test should not be viewed as confirming the presence of a handicapping hearing loss.

Caution is required because a screening failure may be due to such factors as poor test condition, a neurologic disorder, or transient conductive hearing loss. As a result each baby who fails a newborn hearing screening requires a retesting to determine if a permanent sensorineural hearing loss is present.

Follow up of the babies who have failed the hearing screening is a critical aspect of screening test.

Unfortunately it is often one of the weakest components after hospital discharge. Despite the difficulties encountered, effective follow up is essential for screening because the original Hearing Screening test is of no value if it does not result in earlier intervention than would have been achieved otherwise.

Follow up testing on an outpatient basis helps allows time for increased maturation and improved health status.
The younger age is preferred because hearing testing can be done without sedation.

There is an increasing evidence of the presence of emerging (delayed onset) and progressive hearing loss, in infants. As a result, Follow up testing should not be limited to babies who failed the original hearing screening.

Screening should also be done to infants who pass the initial Hearing screening but who continue to be at risk for hearing loss, because of family History , Potentially ototoxic medications, meningitis, persistent fetal circulation, and cytomegalovirus.

If on follow up visit also results shows fail we can immediately go for detailed test and understand the degree and severity of hearing loss. Once the loss is confirmed on these objective tests with the help and comparison of subjective tests your audiologist can choose the right hearing aids or cochlear implants and timely speech and language intervention can be started.

Early the age of diagnoses and treatment better are the results. Your audiologist along with your speech language pathologist will plan the child specific therapy plan which will help the child to develop skills like normal hearing a child develops.