Hearing Test

Why do newborns need hearing screening? The hearing screening is a first and important step in helping understand if your baby may be deaf or hard of hearing. Without newborn hearing screening, it is hard to know when there are hearing changes in the first months and years of your baby's life. Babies may respond to noise by startling or turning their heads toward the sound, for example. But this doesn't necessarily mean they can hear all the sounds around them and everything we say. Babies who are deaf or hard of hearing may hear some sounds but still not hear enough to understand spoken language. Infants who are deaf or hard of hearing need the right supports, care, and early intervention services to promote healthy development. If the hearing status is not identified, it may have negative effects on the baby's communication and language skills. Longer term, a missed hearing loss can also impact the child's academic achievement and social-emotional development.