Question
My baby is just 45 days old. The initial and follow-up hearing tests were conducted on the third and 42nd days after birth, respectively. Both ears did not pass. I am very anxious. What are the general causes of this, and what should I do?
Answer
Newborn hearing screening is an objective, simple, and rapid method for identifying hearing impairments in newborns. It can further diagnose and monitor the condition. Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) are commonly used methods for newborn hearing screening. Both of these techniques are internationally recognized non-invasive technologies. Otoacoustic emissions are applied in most hospitals in our country for hearing screening.Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) is mainly used for hearing screening in newborns in intensive care units (ICUs). Normally, the ear canal can emit very soft sounds, which are transmitted through the ossicles and eardrum to the external auditory canal and can be detected. If a baby has a hearing loss in the ear canal, no otoacoustic emissions will be produced, and they cannot be detected by otoacoustic emissions. The Automated Auditory Brainstem Response can reflect the function of the external ear, middle ear, ear canal, and auditory nerve pathways.