May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. This month, ADH wants to raise awareness about the importance of newborn hearing screening and language development milestones for children. Early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) is key to preventing delays in children's learning language. Children begin learning language as early as two months of age, so it’s urged that every newborn receives a screening before one month of age.
One in every 500 babies born is diagnosed as Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH), and 90% of DHH children are born to hearing parents. In 2023, 94% of infants born in Arkansas received a screening by one month of age. Of those screened, 348 infants did not pass the newborn hearing screen. Thirty-seven of these infants were diagnosed with a permanent hearing condition, but 215 of these infants did not have documentation of a diagnosis and are potentially at risk for a hearing condition that could delay language development.
The ADH recommends that parents should choose a doctor for their baby before birth. Before leaving the hospital, parents are urged to make sure a hearing test is completed. It’s important for the screening to be done by a qualified professional. If the child does not pass the screening, they should receive additional testing from a pediatric audiologist before three months of age to reduce risks for delays in learning language. The Infant Hearing Program coordinates the EHDI system of care statewide to ensure children who are DHH are identified through newborn hearing screenings, receive a timely diagnosis, and enroll in appropriate intervention as soon as possible to optimize language development. If you need assistance locating a hearing screening provider in your area, contact the Infant Hearing Program at (501) 280-4740 or visit www.arhealthyhearing.com.