What should I do if my baby fails the test?

A lot of babies need to have a second hearing screening test because the first screen didn’t show a clear response from both of the baby’s ears. This does not necessarily mean that your baby has hearing loss. Some common reasons, other than hearing loss, for having a second screening test are:

• Your baby may have been unsettled at the time of screening. 
• There may have been background noise when the screening test was carried out.
• Your baby may have fluid or a temporary blockage in the ear after the birth. This is very common and will pass with time.

What if I still suspect a hearing loss even though the hearing screening didn’t indicate a hearing loss? 

The screening detects moderate to more severe hearing loss, and may not detect more mild hearing losses.  Also, some types of hearing loss may not be present at birth, but may develop over time or occur later.  That is why it is extremely important to be familiar with typical hearing and language milestones, and to enjoy communicative activities with your baby that help you observe your baby’s response to sound.