Medical professionals play a critical role in making sure that all children especially the newborns get hearing screening, diagnosis, and intervention services. The frequency of bilateral congenital hearing loss is around 1 in 500 newborn baby which is very alarming and the sensitivity of this
screening is demonstrated to be closed to 100. Newborn hearing screening is one of the first steps to set a child on a path of success and if the diagnosis is not done a child may fall behind communication, reading, or social emotional development which could lead to lower educational or
employment achievement later in life.
Some of the high risk factors for the child to develop hearing loss include mother having infection like cytomegalovirus, toxoplasma, or positive HIV during pregnancy or a pregnant mother who uses tobacco and alcohol a lot, or newborn baby with very low birth weight, family history of hearing loss
and using autotoxic medication in newborn period.
What to do:
1. Any newborn has to undergo hearing screening not later than 1 month of age.
2. A diagnosis no later than 3 months of age.
3. Entry in to early intervention services no longer 6 months of age.
