Good Hearing is Important! That’s why we provide hearing screening for every newborn baby born at RAMC’s Birth Center. Normal hearing is critical for your baby’s speech, language and mental development.

How will my baby’s hearing be measured?
Both the Otoacoustic Emissions (OEA’s) and Automated Auditory Brainstem Responses (AABR) are the latest technologies available to reliably measure newborn hearing function. (These screenings are simple, quick and completely painless). 3 patches will be placed on your baby – one on the forehead, one at the nape of the neck and one on the shoulder. Wires will then be snapped onto these. Then a "cup" will be attached around each ear. The computer will then emit sounds and interpret your baby’s brain responses to the sounds.

What does it mean if my baby passes the screening?
The results of the screening show how your baby is hearing at the time of the test. Some children have recurrent ear infections, serious infections, chronic illness or a family history of hearing loss and may develop a hearing loss later.

What does it mean if my baby does not pass the screening?
It’s not uncommon for a baby to require additional testing after the first screen. In some cases, middle ear fluid or debris in the ear canal may have caused a temporary hearing barrier. We will retest your baby before you take it home. In the event that your baby does not pass that time, you will be referred to an audiologist at a later date.