Community Birth Providers - Best Practice Guidelines

Best Practices for Performing Newborn Hearing Screens

• Educate parents during pregnancy about the importance of newborn hearing screening and provide the Newborn Hearing Screening brochure.
• Be culturally sensitive and aware of potential cultural factors that may impact the screening process or parental acceptance of screening recommendations.
• After birth, record the baby’s primary care provider or preferred clinic on the newborn metabolic blood spot card.
• Clearly explain the purpose of the screening, how it is performed, and possible outcomes to ensure parents understand the process.
• Conduct hearing screenings as soon as possible after birth using calibrated OAE or A-ABR equipment approved for newborns.
• Document all screening information, including test method, date completed, and results for each ear.
• If screening is not performed, document the parent’s decision on the hearing card or EHDI reporting form (referral site, parent refusal, card not available, etc.).
• Report screening (including rescreens) results to EHDI within 7 days of testing, including completed screens, referrals, and refusals.
• For infants who do not pass the initial screening, perform a rescreen on both ears before the infant is 1 month old.
• For infants who do not pass two screens or ears switch results, help parents schedule a diagnostic appointment with a pediatric audiologist for a diagnostic test immediately.
• If you do not perform hearing screening, refer the family to a community screening site to ensure testing is completed by 1 month of age.

Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Position Statement

This current 2019 document builds on prior Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) publications, updating best practices through literature reviews and expert consensus opinion on screening; identification; and audiological, medical, and educational management of infants and young children and their families.

JCIH Position Statement