Early Infant Hearing Screening & Intervention

Screening for disease and disabilities as early as possible in a child's life is now an accepted public health mandate. The past 35 years has seen infant hearing screening programs develop to identify those newborns with hearing loss so important habilitation and intervention procedures can be initiated as early as possible. The historical development of hearing tests for infants has evolved from early behavioral observation techniques to today's sophisticated physiologic hearing screening technologies. Out of the 4,000,000 live births in the United States each year, it is estimated that 10% are at risk for congenital hearing loss. Of these infants, 30 to 50 of every 1000 newborns will suffer hearing impairment. The evaluation of hearing in newborns requires specialized training and highly technologic equipment. Members of the American Academy of Audiology are dedicated to the early identification of hearing loss in infants and children and helping parents identify appropriate habilitation and intervention programs.