Content Information
How it works
How is hearing tested in babies?
Oto-acoustic emissions (OAE) screenings are done by sending sound into the baby’s ear canal as a small microphone measures the response of the cochlea inside the ear. Some hospitals use another test, the automated auditory brainstem response test (AABR), which involves providing sound to the baby with earphones. Electrodes are placed on the baby’s skin to measure brainstem activity in response to the sound.
In Iowa, newborn hearing screening for hearing loss is done in the hospital or birth place by the time the baby is 48 hours old.
For babies born outside of the hospital, a family can take their baby to any local Area Education Agency, private audiologist or local hospital. Please contactIowa Family Support Network at 888-425-4371 for the locations nearest you.
All babies should have a hearing screening before they are one month old
Hearing screening is easy and is not painful. In fact, babies are often asleep while being screened. It takes a very short time — usually only a few minutes. Sometimes the screening is repeated while the babies are still in the hospital or shortly after they leave the hospital.
Babies who do not pass hearing screening should be tested by an audiologist. An audiologist is a person trained to test hearing. This person will do additional testing to find out if there is a hearing loss. There are many kinds of tests an audiologist can do to find out if a baby has a hearing loss, how much of a hearing loss there is, and what type it is.
All babies who do not pass the first screening should have a complete hearing test before three months of age
Finding a hearing loss early and getting into a program that helps babies with hearing loss (beginning before a baby is six months old) helps a child to:
- Communicate better with others.
- Do well in school.
- Get along with other children.
All babies with hearing loss should begin treatments and services before six months of age
Intervention services are types of programs and resources available for children and their families. An intervention might be:
- Meeting with a professional (or team) who is trained to work with children who have a hearing loss, and their families.
- Working with a professional (or team) who can help a family and child learn to communicate.
- Fitting a baby with a hearing device, such as a hearing aid.
- Joining family support groups.
- Other resources available to children with a hearing loss and their families.
Results
If your baby doesn't pass the first hearing screen
If your baby doesn't pass the first hearing screen right after birth, it doesn't always mean your baby has hearing loss. Further testing is needed to figure out why your baby didn't pass.
Babies who do not pass hearing screening should be tested by an audiologist. An audiologist is a person trained to test hearing. This person will do additional testing to find out if there is a hearing loss. There are many kinds of tests an audiologist can do to find out if a baby has a hearing loss, how much of a hearing loss there is, and what type it is.
All babies who do not pass the first screening should have a complete hearing test before three months of age.
Cost
Each hospital or health care provider has its own billing process for newborn hearing screening. If your baby was born in the hospital, the cost for this screening is included in your hospital bill as part of routine newborn care. If your baby was born in a community setting, the health care provider will let you know about costs, or the outpatient area of a clinic or hospital can tell you how much they charge.
After the screening
What does it mean if my baby does not pass the hearing screen?
This means the baby did not pass the newborn hearing screen. It does not necessarily mean your baby has hearing loss. Your baby must return for a follow-up hearing screen which is similar to the newborn screen. Some hearing screening specialists may complete a diagnostic test at the time of the re-screen. Your baby's health care provider can help you know where to go next, or you may contact the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program staff at the Iowa Department of Public Health by calling 1-800-383-3826 or by clicking on this link to contact them.
Refusal of hearing screening
What if I don't want my baby's hearing screened?
Iowa Law requires all babies to receive newborn hearing screening because it is so important to find out if the baby may have hearing loss and provide treatment as soon as possible to prevent delays in communication and language development.
After hearing or reading all the information about newborn hearing screening, a newborn's parent or guardian may decide to not have their baby receive hearing screening; they may choose to opt-out of (or refuse) the screening.
Your baby's health care provider will provide the refusal form for your review and signature.
What if I don't want my baby to have further testing after the newborn hearing screen?
If your baby is recommended to have further testing to diagnose if they have hearing loss and you don't want them to have this further testing, you may refuse.
It is very important to have your baby diagnosed so that a plan of action can be set up to provide your baby any special services they may need, but if you decide to refuse diagnostic services, you can talk with your health care provider and fill out the diagnostic assessment refusal form.