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How Hearing is Screened in Babies

A hearing screen is a test done shortly after birth to check your baby’s hearing. It is typically performed by a nurse or trained technician. It should be completed before your baby leaves the hospital. If your baby was not born in a hospital, the screen can be done by a trained midwife or other health care provider.

The test is quick, safe, and completed while your baby is sleeping or quiet. There are two ways hearing can be screened in babies: otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR). Both methods only take a few minutes and use a computer to interpret the baby’s responses to sound.

  1. Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (A-ABR): Patches are placed on the baby. Soft sounds are played using small earphones. The patches record brain waves related to hearing.
  2. Otoacoustic Emission (OAE): Soft tips are placed inside the baby’s ears and sounds are played. A tiny echo from the inner ear is measured.

Hearing screening should be completed before your baby is 1 month old.

Does your baby need a hearing screen? Find screening sites near you: Hearing Screening Sites by County.