My baby needs hearing testing

Babies say their first words around one year of age. By preschool age they usually know more than 1,500 words and begin telling stories. These early language skills serve as a foundation for learning in school.

Early hearing screening is important. When a baby is born deaf or hard of hearing, the process of developing language can be delayed. Early screening helps reduce this delay by identifying children with hearing loss and providing their families with the support and professional care they need.

Even if no one in your family has hearing loss, it is important to have your baby's hearing screened and to attend any recommended further hearing testing. About 1 in 400 babies is born with hearing loss. This number increases to 1 in 50 for babies who have complex health issues at birth. Most babies who are deaf or hard of hearing are born into families with no history of hearing loss.

See our Hearing Testing section for information about newborn hearing screening and hearing testing for infants and children.