What parents need to know about newborn hearing loss

If your baby doesn’t pass the newborn hearing test, it’s important to get follow-up testing.

Hearing loss is the most common sensory problem in newborns. If you’re pregnant, you can take steps to lower the chances of your baby being born with hearing loss. If your newborn has hearing loss, it’s important to get help right away.

Newborn hearing tests

“Newborn hearing loss is very common, affecting 2-4% of all young children,” said Dr. Marc Nelson, pediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist and director of the Akron Children’s Center for Hearing and Communicative Disorders. “Babies who have their hearing loss found and treated early usually do better with talking and learning. In many cases, hearing loss can be treated! That’s why all babies in the United States get a hearing test right after they’re born.”

What happens if my newborn failed their hearing test?

If your baby doesn’t pass the first hearing test, you’ll be sent to a pediatric audiologist for more tests. But don’t worry: Failing the first test doesn’t always mean your baby has permanent hearing loss.

Sometimes a waxy coating called “vernix” can block your baby’s ear, or fluid can get stuck inside. If your baby moves or cries during the test, that can affect the results. “It is important to follow up as directed if your baby fails any of the screening tests,” Dr. Nelson said. “If they don’t get follow-up testing, they may not get the treatment they need.”

If your baby passes follow-up testing and has no other risk factors for hearing loss, no treatment is needed. Your baby’s primary care provider will check hearing at every well visit throughout childhood. If test results show hearing loss, your baby will need to go to an ENT doctor.

“Babies who do not pass their newborn hearing tests should get follow-up testing by 1 month of age and then diagnostic testing by 3 months,” Dr. Nelson said. “Our goal is that hearing amplification, if necessary, should be provided no later than 6 months of age.”

Dr. Marc Nelson

Why is it important to go to a pediatric provider who specializes in hearing loss?

“Pediatric audiologists and speech/auditory verbal therapists are uniquely trained to work with kids and help them reach their potential,” Dr. Nelson explained. “Many kids with hearing loss also have other health needs. Working with our hearing team helps families stay in the Akron Children’s care system they know and trust.”

What causes hearing loss in babies

Genetic factors cause about half the cases of newborn hearing loss. However, infections during pregnancy can cause hearing problems. “Several types of infection may spread from the pregnant mother to the baby,” Dr. Nelson said. “These include Streptococcus B, which can cause meningitis in babies and lead to hearing loss. The TORCH group of infections – toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes virus – is another cause. By far the most common of these infections is CMV, which is felt to be the cause of 1/3 of all congenital hearing loss.”

Good hygiene is the best way for pregnant women to prevent CMV infection. Wash your hands often, stay away from bodily fluids of infected individuals and try not to touch your eyes and mouth. Pregnant women should get checked for Group B Strep (GBS) during prenatal doctor’s visits and treated if they test positive or have risk factors.

In addition to the infections listed above, other factors include “ototoxic” medications that can hurt the inner ear and cause hearing loss. A baby born prematurely or who lacked oxygen could also be at risk. “Environmental causes are responsible for the other 50% of newborn hearing loss,” Dr. Nelson said. “Of children with newborn hearing loss, 90% of their parents do not have hearing problems. It is important to understand that healthy hearing can’t be taken for granted.”

Devices that can help kids hear

Hearing aids, which make sounds louder, are the main treatment for hearing loss. If hearing aids won’t help, your child might be able to get cochlear implants. These devices go in the inner ear and send signals to the hearing nerve, which carries sound straight to the brain.

“The sooner we start treatment, the better the chance your child will learn to talk,” Dr. Nelson offered. “The end game is stimulation to that part of the brain. There’s a window of opportunity in a child’s first 3 to 4 years of life. Improved access to sound stimulates development of the hearing portion of the brain, called the auditory cortex. If that area stays underdeveloped, the negative effects on speech and hearing might be irreversible after that window of opportunity.”