What is newborn hearing screening? Newborn hearing screening is an objective, rapid and non-invasive audiological examination of newborns in a natural sleep or quiet state by means of electrophysiological examinations such as otoacoustic emissions, automatic auditory brainstem response and acoustic impedance. What is the purpose of newborn hearing screening? The primary purpose of newborn hearing screening is to detect and intervene early in children with hearing impairment, thereby reducing the impact of hearing impairment on speech, language and cognitive development. What is the process of newborn hearing screening? The screening process can be divided into initial screening and second screening, usually referred to as primary screening and repeat screening. Newborn screening can be divided into normal newborns and newborns with risk factors for hearing impairment, and is especially important for newborns with risk factors for hearing impairment. Newborns are screened 48 hours after birth, usually 3-5 days after birth, and those who do not pass the initial screening are rescreened around 42 days later; those who still do not pass the rescreening are diagnosed at around 3 months. Children who are diagnosed with hearing impairment should go to a hospital specialist for appropriate medical intervention in a timely manner. For newborns with risk factors for hearing impairment, even if they pass the initial screening and rescreening, they should be followed up regularly, at least once a year until the age of 3 years, and if hearing loss is suspected, audiological evaluation should be performed promptly. What are the high-risk factors affecting the development of hearing in newborns? 1. Those who have been in the NICU for 48 hours or more; 2. Those who were born prematurely (less than 26 weeks) or with a birth weight of less than 1500 grams; 3. Those with hyperbilirubinemia; 4. Those with signs or symptoms of syndromes associated with sensorineural and/or conductive hearing loss; 5. Those with a family history of permanent sensorineural hearing loss in childhood; 6. Craniofacial anomalies, including microtia, external auditory canal anomalies 7. Intrauterine infections in the pregnant mother, such as cytomegalovirus, herpes, toxoplasmosis, etc. 8. The mother has used ototoxic drugs during pregnancy; 9. History of hypoxic asphyxia at birth, Apgar 0-4 min/1 min or 0-6 min/5 min; 10. Mechanical ventilation for more than 5 days; 11. Bacterial meningitis. What is a diagnostic hearing test? It is the audiological evaluation of newborns who failed the re-screening at a hearing testing facility, and other medical and imaging evaluations if necessary, to make the final diagnosis. The test takes place between 3 months and 6 months after birth. Objective hearing tests include diagnostic OAE, 1 kHz acoustic conductance test, short sound and short pure tone ABR, 40 Hz auditory correlation potential, ASSR and bone conduction ABR. Subjective audiological testing includes pediatric behavioral audiometry (BOA , VRA , PA , PTA), speech testing and auditory-speech developmental assessment forms. How to intervene for the child? Etiological treatment Medication and surgery for children with conductive deafness, such as secretory otitis media, congenital microtia and congenital middle ear malformation. Hearing compensation or reconstruction For children with moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing impairment, hearing aids should be preferred, and the fitting can be done around 6 months of age. Cochlear implantation is recommended for children with bilateral severe or very severe sensorineural hearing impairment. After hearing aid fitting and cochlear implantation, the child needs to undergo auditory function training and speech-language rehabilitation under the guidance of a physician, audiologist, speech-language therapist, special educator and psychologist.