When you are in the hospital with your newborn, there are so many tests completed and procedures done in the short time you are there that it can make your head spin! As a new mom again, I was reminded of how busy those first 24-48 hours in the hospital are. Between vitals checks for mom and baby, lab tests, first bath, meetings with the pediatricians and OBGYNs, the hearing screen can seem like it is less important than the rest and can get lost once you leave the hospital. However, there is a reason that they do it before you leave the hospital and make a plan if there were abnormal results. How well your infant hears from day one can greatly impact the development of speech and language later in life.
Babies, from the moment they are born, are taking in a lot of information from the world around them. When they were in the womb, if everything developed typically, they could hear and begin to learn the voices of those who are going to caring for them (parents/siblings/grandparents/etc.). This is why they often start to look towards Mom’s voice early on and will calm with those voices. Babies are also from the beginning hearing sounds and language spoken to them. This is important for them to learn the language and how to produce the sounds as well. If there is any loss in hearing, it can impact how quickly they will learn both speech sounds and language as they grow and their interactions with others. When you think about it, if you cannot hear a new language that is spoken, how are we going to be expected to use it accurately and appropriately.
This is why it is important if you child does not pass the hearing screening, or if you have concerns in the early days/months/years of life, to get a more in depth assessment of their hearing. If your child also has frequent ear infections, it is also important to get his/her hearing checked. Children from the moment they are born are taking in the sounds of the language that they are going to be expected to use. We want to give them the best opportunity for them to learn it so they do not hear distortions of sounds or miss important language features and not need us in the future!
If you have any questions related to your child specifically or need to be pointed in the direction to get your child’s hearing assessed, do not hesitate to contact any of us!
~Amber