Positive news on hearing tests for babies
by RachelTheWriterThere is excellent news for pregnant women and mums of newborns in England, as the NHS announces its new scheme for testing the hearing of newborn babies.
The testing, which will be carried out as part of the NHS New-born Hearing Screening Programme, will shortly be rolled out across the country. It replaces the traditional Infant Distraction Test, which was known to be unreliable and could only be used on older babies. This new test means that newborns can be tested reliably, and any potential hearing difficulties can be diagnosed much earlier.
So how does the new test work? It uses new equipment which measures how the baby’s ears respond to sound. Parents will be reassured to know that it is painless and quick, only lasting a few minutes.
Professor Adrian Davis, Director of the screening programme told the BBC: “Over 1,000 babies are born each year in England with deafness or hearing loss in one, or both, ears. It is essential, therefore, that this is identified early. The programme does just that, enabling parents to access the appropriate support for their babies as quickly as possible.”
But what happens if your baby fails to show a response to the test? Here is a step by step guide to the screening process for your baby:
- All babies will be screened under the NHS New-born Hearing Screening Programme. This involves the use of an Automated Otoacoustic Emissions test, to give it its full name.
- Babies who don’t show a strong response in either, or both, ears will be sent on to take the next test. This is known as the Automated Auditory Brainstem Response test.
- If a baby doesn’t show a response to either tests, then further investigation is needed. Your baby will be referred on to the audiology department of your local hospital for further tests, so that the problem can be quickly diagnosed and treated, if possible.
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