Screening Newborns for Hearing

The use of the automated auditory brainstem response and otoacoustic emissions tests for newborn hearing screening.

Permanent congenital hearing impairment/loss (PCHI) is one of the most common congenital anomalies found at birth which can be expected to lead to delays and deficits in the development of speech, language, cognition and learning, as well as secondary effects on the child and family. Limited scientific evidence suggests that early identification and subsequent appropriate intervention (within the first 6 months) in infants with PCHI can minimize these effects. As a result, there has been a growing interest for universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) in attempts to diagnose PCHI as early as possible. This report reviews the evidence in the field.

Section Authors:

• Section One – Social and System Demographics: Don Schopflocher
• Section Two – Technological Effects and Effectiveness: Paula Corabian
• Section Three – Economic Evaluation: Ken Eng, Doug Lier
• Information Specialist: Liza Chan

Related Reports:

• The Safety and Efficacy/Effectiveness of Using Automated Testing Devices for Universal Newborn Hearing Screening: An Update (2012)