Your New Baby’s Hearing Screening  

Screening is Quick, Simple & Safe  

Your baby will be screened in the hospital before you both go home by a trained North Words staff person.  The equipment used is completely safe and reliable.  It will not hurt your baby. Your baby will probably sleep through the whole experience.  The machine used for the screening            is called a DPOAE (Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission).  A very small earphone is placed in the baby’s ear and soft sounds are played through it.  The ear’s response to these sounds is measured and recorded.  The entire test takes just a few minutes and gives you results right away.

Screening Result is Either Pass or Refer

Most babies will receive a pass result, which means their hearing is fine at that time.  In a very small number of the babies that pass the screening, a hearing loss may develop at a later age.  It is therefore important to watch for signs of hearing loss as your baby grows. 

When the result is refer, your baby will need a second screening.  Most babies who receive a refer result have perfectly normal hearing.  A slight cold or stuffiness, earwax, fidgeting, or even noise in the room are the most likely reasons for the refer result.  Because finding those babies who are born deaf or hard of hearing is so important, all babies with a refer result must have a second screening with a different machine.  Whenever possible, this will take place before you leave the hospital.  If your baby needs another screening after you leave the hospital, an appointment will be made for you by the North Words staff person.  

This exciting new program will be available to all newborns in the Kenora Rainy River District by October 2002. 

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