The newborn hearing test is highly recommended. The test helps identify babies who have permanent hearing loss as early as possible. This means parents can get the support and advice they need right from the start.
1 to 2 babies in every 1,000 are born with permanent hearing loss in 1 or both ears. This increases to about 1 in every 100 babies who have spent more than 48 hours in intensive care. Most of these babies are born into families with no history of permanent hearing loss.
Permanent hearing loss can significantly affect babies' development. Finding out early can give these babies a better chance of developing language, speech and communication skills. It will also help them make the most of relationships with their family from an early age.
You'll be given your baby's hearing test results as soon as the test is done. If your baby has a clear response in both ears, they're unlikely to have permanent hearing loss.
However children can also develop permanent hearing loss later on, so it's important to check your child's hearing as they grow up
