Why Hearing Screening Should Be Compulsory For Newborns

Newborn hearing screening could make a significant difference to the future of a child with hearing loss.

Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : August 26, 2021 12:17 PM IST

Congenital hearing loss ( hearing loss that is present at birth) affects about 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 newborn babies. Even a mild or partial hearing loss can affect a child' speech, language, and social development. The earlier hearing impairment is detected and children with hearing loss start getting treatment, the more they are likely to reach their full potential, says the US CDC. Hence, it's important to get your child's hearing ability screened early. In fact, some researchers, doctors and speech therapists are strongly proposing for universal neonatal hearing screening (UNHS) for the early detection of hearing impairment.

The current state of the law in India does not make it a compulsion to check for hearing impairment in newborn babies. Devangi Dalal, an Indian trained audiologist and speech therapist, author, Humanitarian Award winner and co-founder of the JOSH foundation, is currently working closely towards developing a law that makes 'hearing screening' compulsory for newborn babies all over India.

Speaking to TheHealthSite, Dalal shed further light on this matter, as well as shares some tips on what parents can do to prevent hearing loss in children.

Why is it important to make hearing screening compulsory for newborns?

Hearing loss is an important public health concern. Hearing is the key to learning, performing, and socially engaging for children. Hearing screening is an important assessment that can identify hearing loss in children and prevent problems with communication, learning, and speech and language development. Today, technology allows specialists to test hearing in the infant as old as 48 hrs, i.e. 2 days old. Newborn hearing screening is safe, simple, and painless, takes only a few minutes, and could make a significant difference to the future of a child with hearing loss. Early identification and intervention are the prime need. An unidentified hearing problem can lead to difficulties in family communication as well as academic and social problems.

Early signs of hearing impairment in children that parents should be aware of.

Your child might have hearing problem if he/she:

Doesn't turn head to the source of a sound (even after 6 months of age)
Doesn't respond to name-calling
Finds low-pitched sounds hard to hear
Doesn't show startle response to loud sounds (e.g. crying to the sound of a cracker)
Ears feel blocked and the child's speech is delayed

The CDC recommends that all babies should have a hearing screening no later than 1 month of age. Babies who do not pass a hearing screening need to get a full hearing test as soon as possible, no later than 3 months of age, it says.

What parents can do to prevent hearing loss in children?

Hearing loss can happen before birth or any time during life.

Make sure every child who is born is screened for hearing just like any other health checkups, especially kids born with high-risk factors (jaundice during birth, low birth weight, delayed birth cry, etc).
If you live in a noisy location, keep windows and doors closed to minimize harmful outside sounds.
Make sure your child gets all regular childhood vaccines.
Maintain good ear hygiene.
Avoid slap or blow to the ear as it can cause a hearing problem that may be irreversible.
Keep a watch on young children playing with tiny objects like beads, seeds, etc. If they put them in the ear, the eardrum may get ruptured or the ear canal may be injured.

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