{"id":193,"date":"2020-06-02T18:20:10","date_gmt":"2020-06-02T22:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hscky.fm1.dev\/newborn-hearing-screenings\/"},"modified":"2021-09-15T19:05:49","modified_gmt":"2021-09-15T23:05:49","slug":"newborn-screenings","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hscky.org\/hearing\/newborn-screenings\/","title":{"rendered":"Newborn Hearing Screenings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What Do You Do if Your Baby Doesn’t Pass the Newborn Hearing Screening?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Diagnostic testing with a Pediatric Audiologist<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Diagnostic testing should be completed before your baby is 3 months old.\u00a0 All testing can be attempted while your baby sleeps naturally, as it is important that your baby is quiet and still for both Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing.\u00a0 Our pediatric audiologist will conduct these tests to determine whether your baby has a hearing problem and if so, identify the type and severity of that problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It is VERY important to complete diagnostic testing if your baby doesn\u2019t pass the newborn hearing screening because it is the best way to be SURE about your baby’s hearing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To schedule your baby\u2019s diagnostic testing with one of our pediatric audiologists, call 859-268-4545.\u00a0 Click the link below for strategies to be prepare and prepare your baby for testing.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What tests are used for diagnostic testing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bAs children grow, different hearing tests will be used.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birth to 6 Months of Age<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Auditory brainstem response (ABR)<\/strong> testing is the best test available for newborns and infants up to 6 months of age that can provide information about the softest level of sound the ear can hear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABR testing gives information about the amount of hearing loss that is present at different pitches. This is also known as “Frequency-Specific ABR”. For babies up to five months of age, ABR testing can be attempted while a baby is sleeping naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sounds are played to the baby’s ears and band-aid-like electrodes are placed on the baby’s head to detect responses. Sounds are presented to the ears using small earphones. The electrodes pick up responses from the hearing nerve and a computer measures the responses to identify babies who have a hearing loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Infants and Toddlers (6 months \u2013 2 years)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA)<\/strong> tests provide information about a child’s hearing in both ears across different pitches. Sounds are presented through earphones or a loudspeaker and the child responds by looking at animated toys or videos that are paired with the sounds. Test results are graphed on an audiogram<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young Children and Preschoolers (2 – 5 years)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Conditioned Play Audiometry (CPA) <\/strong>tests provide information about a child’s hearing across pitches in both ears. With this technique, the children perform a game-like activity every time a sound is heard. For example, the child is prompted to drop a block in a bucket when a sound is heard. Sounds are usually presented through earphones and results are graphed on an audiogram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hearing Tests for Children of All Ages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the tests already explained, other tests<\/a> may be used at all ages:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tympanometry<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tympanometry<\/strong> tests how the eardrum and middle ear are working. This test is important because fluid or other problems in the middle ear can affect hearing. During tympanometry, a small earphone is placed in the ear canal and air pressure is gently changed. A tympanogram is a graph of the test results<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tympanograms help identify the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n