What is the Arkansas Infant Hearing Program?
The Infant Hearing Program at the Arkansas Department of Health is dedicated to implementing a system to screen newborns for hearing loss by age one month, identify infants with hearing loss by three months and ensure that infants receive appropriate family-centered early intervention services by age six months.
What is Newborn Hearing Screening?
Newborn hearing screening is a quick, safe test conducted usually 12 hours after the infant is born to determine if the child is at risk for a hearing condition.
Why are we screening infants for hearing conditions?
It is amazing how quickly babies start to learn language and speech! From the day they are born, babies are learning language by listening to family talk. As they grow, babies begin to babble many of the sounds they hear spoken around them. These are the building blocks for communication. If a child has a hearing loss and no one finds this out, his or her foundation for proper development of speech and language skills is limited. This can create difficulties in family communication and problems in school, both academic and social. Finding hearing loss early and providing special services to the baby and his or her family helps to prevent these delays in development.
How are infants screened? What is ABR? What is OAE?
Screening your baby’s hearing takes only a few minutes. It is a painless process that can be done while your baby is sleeping. There are two methods used to perform hearing screenings. One is called “Otoacoustic Emissions” (OAE) and the other is “Automated Auditory Brainstem Response” (AABR). In both methods, a soft sound is presented to the ear by an earphone made especially for babies. The machine automatically measures the baby’s response to that sound.
Today’s hearing screening methods are very reliable. Rarely will a baby with a hearing loss be missed.
What happens when an infant does not pass a hearing screen?
A second test is needed before the infant turns one month of age if the infant doesn’t pass the hearing screen. A referral to an audiologist to complete a more comprehensive hearing evaluation may also be recommended to reduce the infant’s risk for delays in learning language.
Are hearing screens affordable?
Yes. In fact, the cost of hearing screening may be covered by a family’s health insurance. Medicaid will pay for screening for eligible babies. Check with your insurance provider to see if your child qualifies.
What happens if an infant is diagnosed with a hearing condition?
If your infant is diagnosed with a hearing condition, they should receive appropriate early intervention services before six months of age. Early intervention is critical to support language and overall development. Intervention services may include assistive devices such as hearing aids or cochlear implants developmental therapy services such as speech-language therapy and/or learning American Sign Language to promote the optimal development of language, cognitive, and social skills. These services often involve family-centered coaching to help caregivers support their child’s development at home. Your physician, audiologist and intervention specialists can help you determine the best combination of services and strategies for managing your child’s hearing condition.
Can an infant pass the hearing screen and still have a hearing condition?
Yes, some babies hear well enough to pass their first screen but may be identified with a hearing condition later in life due to chronic ear infections, illness, medications or a family history of hearing conditions.
Does my child need another test if they respond to noises at home?
There is no good way to check your baby’s hearing at home. Your baby must receive a hearing screening from a healthcare provider to make sure they have quality hearing in the range where speech is understood.
How can I learn more about the Infant Hearing program?
For more information, call 501 280-4740. You can also find more information on infant hearing screening and intervention services through a variety of resources on our Materials and Resources page.