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Newborn hearing screening

The aim of newborn hearing screening is to find babies with permanent hearing loss and provide them with support as soon as possible. By providing help right from the start babies with permanent hearing loss have the best chances with regards their speech and language development.

All babies born in Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Teaching Hospitals will be offered a hearing test which is normally carried out before they are discharged. The aim of the hearing screen is to identify babies that may have a hearing loss and require further testing. In Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ about one baby each month is born with a permanent hearing loss.

How is the newborn hearing test done?

Babies show varied responses to sounds that go on around them, they may seem to show a response to sound and then not do it again. Therefore, we need to use tests that do not rely on a response from your baby you can see. The video below shows the newborn hearing screening process:

The first test that will be tried is an otoacoustic emission (OAE). A soft tip will be placed in your baby’s ear and a gentle clicking sound played. In a normally hearing ear a small response can be picked up from the inner ear.

Where OAE testing does not pick up a clear response an automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) test will be performed. The AABR test involves placing some sticky sensors on your baby’s head and neck, the sensors will try to pick up the response of your baby’s ears to some sounds played through a headphone. 

The tests used as part of Newborn Hearing Screening are very sensitive and as a result there are a number of reasons why a clear response may not be detected, such as:

  • Your baby was unsettled during testing 
  • There was background noise 
  • There is fluid from the birth or a temporary blockage in your baby’s ear
  • Your baby may have a hearing loss

Where a clear response is not recorded in one or both ears a further appointment will be made in the Hearing and Balance Centre for further testing.

My baby needs further testing in the Audiology department

If your baby’s hearing screen does not show a good response in one or both ears, they will be referred for further testing in the Audiology Department at Seacroft Hospital with one of our specialist paediatric audiologists.

If this is the case in Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ an appointment will be made in the Hearing and Balance Service at Seacroft Hospital. Should this be requested, it does not necessarily mean that your baby has a permanent hearing loss. There are a number of other possible reasons for the results including:

  • Your baby was unsettled during testing 
  • There was background noise during the test 
  • There is fluid from the birth or a temporary blockage in your baby’s ear

Even though the chance of your baby having a permanent hearing loss is small it is important to rule it out. If there is a hearing loss any delay may harm your child’s speech and language development.

What tests will be carried out?

The tests used at the appointment in the Hearing and Balance Service are similar to those used for your baby’s hearing screen, however they provide more detailed information.

For some of the tests that may be used your baby will need to be asleep, therefore we allow plenty of time in the appointment to settle you baby and make them comfortable. If possible, feed your baby shortly before the hearing test. Each appointment may take up to 1 hour 20 minutes. 

At the end of the appointment your audiologist should be able to tell you the results. In the majority of cases seen at the Hearing and Balance Service testing will shows that the baby’s hearing is satisfactory, however sometimes a temporary or permanent hearing loss is detected.

Who will perform the tests?

If your baby is referred to the Hearing and Balance Service for further hearing tests, they will be seen by one of our senior specialist paediatric audiologists.

External Links

is available in a range of languages.

NHS Choices – , parent information.

Contact us

The Hearing and Balance Service is based at Seacroft Hospital, Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ, LS14 6UH.

For appointments or information please telephone .

·¡³¾²¹¾±±ô:Ìý[email protected]

How many babies are born with a permanent hearing loss?

One to two babies in every 1,000 are born with permanent hearing loss in one or both ears, as a result in Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ about one baby per month is born with a permanent hearing loss.

If a baby required more than 48 hours in intensive care there is a higher chance they may have a hearing loss.

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