What do I do if my baby failed a hearing screening test?
The newborn hearing screening test tells us which babies need more testing. Some babies who fail the screening test have normal hearing, but up to one in three babies who fail will have a permanent hearing loss. When a hearing loss is found early, there is much that parents and professionals can do to help a child develop normally. This is why it is important for you to complete any follow-up testing recommended by the screening program.
You may be asked to bring your baby back to the hospital for another screening test or you may be told to see a hearing specialist (audiologist). If you are sent to an audiologist, be sure to find out whether the audiologist has the right equipment to test infants and young children. Also ask how many young children the audiologist has treated over the past year. Hearing is very important to a baby's development, so don't delay—help your child hear and now!
Finding a Specialist to do follow-up testing
- Talk to your baby's doctor or nurse.
- Contact your hospital's nursery and talk to the Newborn Hearing Screening Program Coordinator.
- Contact your state's Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program or call 866-997-HEAR (4327)