Hearing Screenings
Hearing screenings are an important part of a newborn baby's care. They check how well a baby hears and can find any hearing differences early on.
Parents and caregivers can have a hard time identifying if a baby has trouble hearing until it starts to affect their development. A hearing screening can catch these issues early so families can get the support and services their child may need as soon as possible.
Hearing screenings are quick, painless, and only take a few minutes.
Watch this video to learn more about what to expect:
A newborn hearing screening is a test done shortly after birth to check a baby’s hearing.
The test is quick, safe, painless, and helps identify whether more testing is needed. It is completed by a trained technician and typically occurs while the baby is sleeping. It usually only takes a few minutes and should be done before one month of age.
Hearing screenings should be completed as soon as possible within a baby’s first month of life to help identify a hearing difference early and to ensure the baby is calm and quiet while completing the test, which is easier when the baby is younger.
By detecting a hearing difference as early as possible, families and caregivers can get connected to tools and resources that help their baby learn language and communication skills to develop on track. After birth, babies begin learning language right away, so getting tested early is important since many hearing differences are not noticeable until after a developmental delay has occurred.
Most hospitals and birthing facilities in Oregon provide hearing screenings after birth and before discharge. If a baby was born at home in the presence of a midwife or trained birth attendant, they may have screening equipment to test a child’s hearing. Additionally, some pediatrician offices may have screening equipment. If your baby does not receive a hearing screening, parents and caregivers can find a facility that provides one here and/or reach out to your baby’s medical team (doctor, nurse, midwife, etc.) to ask about scheduling one.
There are two ways hearing can be screened in babies: otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR).
- Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs): A small earbud is placed in the baby's ear and sound is played through the earbud. The earbud then measures the response coming from the inner ear, like an echo.
- Auditory brainstem response (AABR): Small sensors are placed on the child’s head and small headphones are placed over the child’s ears. While sound is played through the headphones, the sensors measure the response coming from the ear and auditory brainstem.
Both methods are painless and typically occur while a baby is sleeping. Depending on the screening equipment available to a screener, either test can be used to test a baby’s hearing.