How will my baby's hearing be tested?

There are a few different tests that may be done. The audiologist will explain each test to you. Most babies will have the first two tests explained here.

For the first test, the audiologist will put small sticky pads on your baby's forehead and behind their ears. Small earphones are placed in your baby’s ears which play different clicking sounds. One ear will be tested first, then the other. The response from baby’s ears is seen as a wave pattern on the computer screen.

A small soft-tipped ear piece will be placed in your baby’s ear. This changes the pressure in the ear canal and plays a sound. This tests whether there is any fluid behind the ear drum, in baby’s middle ear. Both your baby’s ears will be tested.

A sound maker which plays the same clicking sounds as the first test may be placed behind your baby’s ear and the audiologist looks for the same wave pattern on the computer screen. This shows how baby’s inner ears are responding to the sound.

A small soft-tipped ear piece may be placed in your baby’s ear. This plays  clicking sound. A computer shows how your baby’s inner ears are responding to the sound.