Was my baby's hearing screened?
During the early months of life, babies who have a hearing loss often act just like babies who can hear. You would not be able to tell if your baby isn't hearing the words you speak or the songs you sing. That is why a hearing screening test needs to be done using special equipment. The test takes only a few minutes for a trained screener to perform and most hospitals do the screening before the baby is discharged. Screening programs often tell parents about their baby's results with a card or letter. Most programs also send a letter to the baby's doctor. As a a parent, you need to know for sure if your baby had a hearing screening test and what the results were.
Getting help finding out if your child was screened
- Ask your baby's doctor or nurse if the newborn hearing screening results are in your baby's medical record. Find out if your baby passed the hearing screen or if more testing is needed.
- Contact your hospital's nursery to find out if they have a hearing screening program. Ask the Hearing Screening Coordinator how you and your doctor can get a copy of your baby's hearing screening results.
- Contact your state's Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program or call 866-997-HEAR (4327)