What to do if your baby fails the hearing screening

Hearing impairment in newborns occurs from time to time, but some may be of physiological origin. Therefore, a failed hearing screening needs to be reviewed and the necessary treatment needs to be given if the cause is indeed a disease. Sometimes a failed newborn hearing screening is due to the presence of amniotic fluid and fetal fat in the external and middle ear cavities, as well as the fact that the baby was born prematurely, underweight, and with immature neurodevelopment and hearing transmission. If the newborn fails the hearing screening due to fluid in the middle ear cavity or damage to the cochlear hair cells or ear nerve, prompt examination and treatment is recommended, usually with physical therapy, hearing development stimulation and other necessary treatments. If the disease is irreversible, cochlear implants and hearing aids are needed to improve the child’s hearing and speech function, and the sooner the treatment is detected, the better the results. Hearing development has a direct impact on the child’s speech and language development and must be taken seriously. Parents of babies who fail the hearing screening do not need to worry too much, as it is usually caused by low birth weight or amniotic fluid entering the ear cavity.