Babies begin to develop speech and language from the time they areborn. They learn by listening and interacting with the sounds andvoices around them. But, when a baby is born with hearing loss, manysounds and voices are not heard, and the child’s speech and languagedevelopment can be delayed.
Each year in the United States, as many as 12,000 babies are born witha hearing loss. The cause of hearing loss for many babies is not known,and hearing loss can go unnoticed for years. Fortunately, almost allstates, communities, and hospitals now offer hearing screening for allbabies. The hearing screening is easy and painless, and can identifywhether more testing is needed. In fact, babies often are asleep whilebeing screened. It takes very little time—usually only a few minutes.
“It is important to identify hearing loss early,” said Alison Johnson,deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s(CDC’s) National Center on Birth Defects and DevelopmentalDisabilities. “Early identification allows families to make decisionsabout their child’s care that can affect speech, language, cognitive(thinking), and social development.”
All infants should be screened for hearing loss before one month ofage. It is best if they are screened before leaving the hospital. Ifthe baby does not pass the hearing screening, it’s very important tomake an appointment for a full hearing test and any needed medicaltests before the baby is three months of age.
A professional trained to test hearing loss, such as an audiologist, oran ear, nose, and throat doctor, will be able to perform these tests.The baby’s doctor should perform or order any needed medical tests tofind out the cause of the hearing loss. Because a newborn baby can passthe hearing screening and still develop a hearing loss, the baby’sdoctor should routinely follow the baby’s general health, development,and well-being.
Newborn hearing milestones
Your baby:
- Startles or jumps when there is a sudden noise.
- Stirs, wakes up or cries when someone talks or makes a noise.
- Recognizes your voice and quiets when you speak.
Every state has an Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)program that works to identify infants and children with hearing lossand promotes timely follow-up testing and services for any family whosechild has a hearing loss. If your baby has a hearing loss or if youhave any concerns about your baby’s hearing, call toll free1-800-CDC-INFO or visit www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/ehdi to learn more aboutthis topic and available services in your area.
Source: CDC
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