If there is a clear response from one or both of your baby’s ears it is unlikely that your baby has a hearing loss that will affect speech and language development. No further hearing screening tests are needed. The screener will give you information on how babies respond to sound as they grow and what to do if you have any worries about your baby’s hearing.
If neither of your baby’s ears shows a clear response, it does not necessarily mean your baby has a hearing loss. Clear responses may also not be seen if:
the baby is unsettled;
there is fluid in the ear after birth;
there is too much noise near the baby when the test is done.
If your baby does not have a clear response in either ear, a further hearing test will be offered either by the screener, or with an audiologist (hearing specialist). If your baby needs a test with the audiologist, the screener will give you a leaflet to explain this. The webpage "At the Audiology Clinic" also gives you more information.
If only one of your baby’s ears shows a clear response, you may choose to have another hearing test. Your choices are explained below.
About a fifth (20%) of all well babies screened has a clear response in only one ear. Only a very small number of babies are born with a permanent hearing loss in one ear, so it is likely that your baby hears well with both ears. A clear response may also not be seen if the baby is unsettled, if there is fluid in the ear after birth or if there is too much noise near the baby when the test is done.
We will write to your GP and Health Visitor to say that your baby had a clear response on newborn hearing screening and that no further tests are needed. However, you do have the following choices:
If you choose to have another hearing test, phone the number below within a week of the screening test to make arrangements:
North Wales 01978 727005
South West Wales 03000 848710
South East Wales 02921 843568 |
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If there is a clear response from both of your baby's ears it is unlikely that your baby has a hearing loss that will affect speech and language development. No further hearing screening tests are needed. The screener will give you information on how babies respond to sound as they grow and what to do if you have any worries about your baby's hearing.
If neither of your baby's ears shows a clear response, it does not necessarily mean your baby has a hearing loss. Clear responses may also not be seen if:
If your baby does not have a clear response in either one or both ears, a further hearing test will be offered with an audiologist (hearing specialist) and this will be arranged by the screening programme. The screener will give you a leaflet explaining this.