Why is newborn hearing screening recommended?
Years of research have shown that two to three out of every 1000 healthy infants in the United States are born with significant hearing loss. This makes hearing loss much more common than other disorders for which infants are routinely screened, such as hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, and phenylketonuria (PKU). In the state of Washington, about 230 infants with significant hearing loss are born each year. When should hearing screening be performed? The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) and U.S. Public Health Services Healthy People 2010 health objectives recommend that all newborns be screened for hearing loss by 1 month of age. The screening test used is easiest to perform during the first month of life, when the infant is sleeping much of the time. Who performs the testing? Currently, VM’s Pediatric Departments in Seattle, Federal Way, Sand Point, Winslow, and Issaquah are performing universal newborn hearing screening. The initial screening is done by a nurse or medical assi
