The most critical years for learning speech and language begins at birth. Babies cannot tell us that they can’t hear, and without a newborn hearing screening assessment, hearing loss can be missed. While they may not understand the words, babies first respond to the tone. Thus, the effects of even a mild hearing loss on speech and language acquisition during the critical first two years of life can result in significant speech, language and learning delays. Children who are treated in a timely manner (before six months of age) may not exhibit developmental delays related to their hearing when they reach school age.
It is mandatory in most western countries to have a baby’s hearing tested within the first few months of his or her new life and should be implemented across South Africa.
Due to the advances of technology, hearing screening for newborns typically involves the measurement of the electrical aspects of physical hearing. The procedure and equipment most commonly used measure Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) which uses a very quick, non-invasive procedure, best conducted when the baby is sleeping. OAE testing records sound signals made by the cochlea, which is a structure of the inner ear, in response to sounds generated by the test equipment. A small rubber probe is placed in the baby’s ear canal and soft click sounds will be presented. A result of ‘PASS’ or ‘REFER for further testing’ is obtained.
Please ask the nursing staff or your doctor to arrange a neonatal hearing assessment by an audiologist during your stay in hospital.
Written by Heidi Allan, Principal Audiologist: Reconnect Lifestyle Hearing and Speech Therapy Solutions.