Hearing screening for newborns

Babies born in Rotorua and Taupo will soon benefit from a new programme designed to pick up hearing loss at the earliest opportunity.

The newborn hearing screening programme will be launched by the Lakes District Health Board next month and aims to identify babies who may be suffering from moderate to profound hearing loss within a few hours of their birth.

Testing takes a few minutes and will be carried out on babies while they sleep.

Rotorua audiologist Kirsty Gerlach has helped develop the programme locally and says it will give children born deaf earlier access to specialist hearing services.

"Research shows that if hearing loss is diagnosed early, and appropriate interventions initiated, children will have improved language, learning and social development later on in life.

"This is an exciting development for Rotorua."

Up to 170 babies (up to three in 1000 births) are born in New Zealand with permanent hearing loss each year.

While genetic hearing loss was rare, Mrs Gerlach said children born deaf could be fitted with hearing aids as early as 6 months old if diagnosed early.

"The aim is to give deaf children access to sound by 6 months of age. We can monitor them closely and if they respond to hearing aids, they may not ever need the more invasive interventions like cochlea implants."

Three part-time screeners have been recruited by programme co-ordinator Shelley McIntosh and are undergoing training this month.

It's hoped testing will start at Rotorua and Taupo hospitals by the middle of next month.

Screeners place ear plugs in the ears of newborn babies while they sleep and expose them to a series of "clicking-type" sounds, Mrs Gerlach said.

In a baby with normal hearing, the screener's equipment will pick up echoes in their ear canal after each click.

If no echoes are heard, the screener will re-test the baby within a few hours.

"No echoes may not necessarily mean there is anything wrong. It's common for a baby's hearing to be affected by wax, vernix or fluid in their middle ear straight after their born which is why the follow-up test is important."

Babies who fail two hearing tests will be referred to a hospital audiologist for further tests.

If a new mother returns home before her baby is tested, they will be invited to attend a hospital clinic where homebirthed babies will also be referred.

Waikato, Tairawhiti and Hawkes Bay DHBs started screening in July 2007.

Lakes DHB is among a second group of DHBs to roll out the national screening programme.