Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (Guam EHDI) Newborn Hearing Screening Program Can My Baby Hear? What is newborn hearing screening? Newborn hearing screening identifies babies who might have a hearing loss. Hearing loss is any condition that affects how a baby perceives sound. Ask your medical care provider/physician about hearing screening for your baby. When is newborn hearing screening done? Hearing screening is done soon after birth while your baby is in the hospital. Some babies will require additional screening. This additional screening should be completed by two weeks of age. Why is the screening done? A hearing loss will delay a child’s speech or language development. Language develops very quickly in the early years of life. It is the foundation for all learning. Services to minimize delays in development should begin before your baby is six months old. How is the hearing screening done? Screening is done with special hearing screening equipment. It is quick, easy, noninvasive, and does not hurt. Many babies sleep through the screening. Hospitals use the Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) screening that uses sensitive microphones placed in the baby’s ear canal. It is done while your baby is sleeping or very quiet. The machine records the ear’s response to sounds. Where is the hearing screening done? At birth, screening is done in the hospital or birthing center. If your baby is referred for a follow-up screening, or if you suspect problems with hearing, testing is done at the Pediatric Evaluation and Developmental Services (PEDS) Center located at the University of Guam, Dean Circle, House 17. What happens if my baby is referred for further testing? When referred, it is important to take your baby to his or her appointment for diagnostic testing by an audiologist. This is the only way to know if your child has a hearing loss. The testing should be completed before your baby is three months old. About 12 babies out of 400 will be referred for diagnostic testing. Of the babies referred, about half will show some type of hearing loss. When should children have hearing screening? Hearing loss can occur at any time. Refer to the Hearing & Related Speech/Language Guide (on the next page) every few months to keep track of your baby’s development. If your child does not do the items listed, discuss them with your child’s medical care provider/physician. Hearing screening should be repeated if your child gets more than four ear infections in one year, or if a concern about hearing ability occurs. Hearing screening should be done any time there is a concern about your child’s hearing. HEARING & RELATED SPEECH/LANGUAGE GUIDE YOUR BABY SHOULD... Birth to 3 Months * Pass newborn hearing screening * Quiet to familiar voices * Be startled by loud sound * Stir to noises while sleeping 3 to 6 Months * Turn toward voices or unfamiliar noises * Locate speaker or sound accurately within a room * React to sound (like smiles, quiets, or cries) 6 to 12 Months * Respond to name * React to noises without seeing the source (like door opening) * Imitate sounds * Babble sounds like da, ba, and ma * Enjoy playing with toys that make noise 12 to 24 Months * Develop words rapidly (about: 1-3 words by 12-14 months, 10-15 words by 18 months) * Follow simple directions (like “go get your shoes”) without you pointing * Quiet and look when sound is presented (like adult reading story) * Begin to identify body parts (like eyes and nose) 2 Years * Attend and respond to verbal cues, when interested * Combine words, add words daily (says about 50 words) 3 Years * Understand without needing words repeated * Understand difference between similar sounding words (like candle/camel; how/who; cat/car) * Attend to listening activities like story time * Usually be understood by strangers * Respond to communication or sound equally well when outside or inside and in quiet or noisy places 4 Years - 5 Years * Listen to music or other household sounds at comfortable volume level * Understand most comments or requests without repetition For more information, contact the: Guam EHDI Project, Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, & Service (Guam CEDDERS), University of Guam, UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96923 Phone: (671) 735-2466 TDD/TTY: (671) 734-6531 Fax: (671) 734-5709 Email: nenehearing@guamehdi.org Website: www.guamehdi.org This brochure was produced by the Guam Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (Guam EHDI) Project, with 100% funding support from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Heath Resources and Services Administration, Grant #2H61MC00094-08-00, and facilitated by the University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, & Service (Guam CEDDERS). Adapted from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services brochure.