Is screening safe? What are the risks of screening?

Hearing screening is quick and safe. Your baby might experience some brief discomfort when the earcups are removed. There is a small risk that the hearing screen might not pick up a baby who is born with hearing that needs further investigation.

What are the risks of not screening for hearing? Are there any alternatives to screening?

The main risk of not having a hearing screen is delay in diagnosis if a baby has a hearing loss. Early diagnosis allows for early assistance which gives babies with a hearing loss the best possible start. There are no alternatives to newborn hearing screening.

My baby responds to loud noises so why should they be screened or referred to audiology?

Hearing loss is more complex than simply being able to hear loud sounds. Most babies with hearing loss will still react to loud sounds. The important sounds for speech and language development are soft sounds and these are difficult to test in newborns without specialist equipment.

What are some of the reasons why my baby did not show a clear response to the sound during the hearing screen?

The screening equipment doesn’t tell us exactly why a clear response wasn’t detected. It is designed so babies who may need further testing are identified early. 

Some possible reasons include:

Your baby was unsettled during the screen.

When your baby moves, sucks, cries, or even lightly tenses their muscles, the screening device can pick up those signals instead of the hearing response. Even if your baby looks asleep and relaxed, small muscle activity that you can’t see can still affect the result.

Excessive background noise during the screen

Background noise can drown out the soft sounds which are used to screen your baby’s hearing. This makes it harder for the device to detect a clear response. Some types of noise interfere more than others, even when they don’t seem loud.

Electrical interference during the screen

Electrical interference can sometimes disrupt the device’s ability to detect a clear response. This can come from devices in the room such as hospital equipment or a phone that’s charging.  The interference isn’t always obvious – sometimes there isn’t any visible signs that something is causing a problem.

Temporary blockage

Some newborns have fluid, vernix, or debris in the ear after birth. These temporary blockages can affect how sound travels through the ear. Because we can’t tell during the screen whether this is the cause, these babies still need follow‑up testing.

Hearing loss

A small number of babies who do not show a clear response to the sound during hearing screening will have a permanent hearing loss. The follow-up audiology test after the second hearing screen will be able to give more information.