Newborn Hearing Screening Program

If unchecked, hearing loss can severely impact a child's ability to communicate. If left untreated, even a mild hearing loss can cause language delays, which may be difficult to overcome. Problems associated with untreated hearing loss can be greatly reduced by early identification and early intervention.

If you suspect there may be a problem, do not wait! Talk to your baby's doctor or call the Nemours Children's Clinic - Jacksonville at 904-858-3090 immediately. A baby's hearing can be tested at any age.

Normal hearing during the first six months of your baby's life is essential for normal speech and language development. According to the American Academy of Audiology, as many as six infants in 1,000 have a significant hearing loss. Every year, 41,000 babies are born with some level of hearing loss. In the United States today, there is often a delay of diagnosis of hearing loss of 12 months or more.

This is why it is vitally important that babies be tested as early as possible. By detecting hearing loss in infancy, families can begin treatment right away.

Newborn Hearing Screening

Nemours Children's Clinic audiologists and audio technicians who have been specially trained for infant screening will perform the test. They use a quick, safe, and effective exam called an Otoacoustic Emissions Test. It causes no discomfort to your baby. Your baby's hearing can be screened in the newborn nursery before you leave the hospital. Results are given to you immediately following the exam.

Some children with hearing loss have no risk factors. Early detection can alleviate delays in language, social, and education development.

Newborn Hearing Checklist

Birth to 3 months

Is startled by loud sounds. (startle = blink, body jerk, cessation of sucking, sudden cry, etc.)
Stirs, wakes up, or cries when someone talks or makes a noise.

3 to 6 months

Looks to speaker's voice.
Turns head to search for source of a voice or interesting sound.
Enjoys rattles or noise-making toys.
Awakes early to sounds.

6 to 10 months

Responds to own name.
Shows understanding of common words such as "no", "all gone", "bye-bye", or "nighty-night".
Babbles (sounds like "da", "ba", and "ma").
Turns head toward soft sounds.

10 to 15 months

Knows names of favorite toys and can point to them when asked.
Likes rhymes and jingles.
Imitates simple words and sounds.

15 to 20 months

Can follow simple directions. ("Go get your shoes.")
Recognizes hair, nose, eyes, and other parts of the body when named.
Asks for wants by name. ("blanket", "cookie", or "teddy bear")
Speaks 10 to 20 words.

20 to 24 months

Begins combining words such as "More juice," "Mommy home?" or "Go bye-bye car."
Refers to self by name.
Enjoys being read to.
Shows interest in sounds of radio, television, and stereo.

24 months to 3 years

At 24 months, speaks about 270 words with a very rapid rate of increase each day.
Wants to communicate to express needs and interests and tell experiences.
By age three, vocabulary equals some 1,000 words, about 80% of which should be intelligible even to strangers. It is not unusual for some sounds to be mispronounced (such as "th", "r", or "l").

No child is too young to have his or her hearing evaluated. Advances in technology have helped the pediatric audiologists in the audiology program at the Nemours Children's Clinic - Jacksonville reduce the age at which hearing loss can be identified, thus enabling them to provide prompt and appropriate treatment.

Comprehensive services available include behavioral audiometry, tympanometry, auditory brainstem response testing (ABR), and central auditory processing testing. Universal newborn hearing screenings are performed at the Wolfson Children's Hospital/Baptist Medical Center and area hospitals. Advanced programmable hearing-aid services are available with an on-site earmold and swimmold lab. Counseling and therapeutic intervention are available for the hearing impaired child to maximize benefit from her hearing aid or cochlear implant and to develop communication.