Question
After a newborn’s hearing screening at six days old, the result was not passed, and the parents were informed that they need to have a follow-up examination in thirty days. The parents are worried and want to know the severity of this situation.
Answer
Most infants pass the newborn hearing screening without any issues. However, some babies may fail the screening due to residual foreign objects in the external ear canal, such as a mixture of amniotic fluid and vernix caseosa. These babies require follow-up examinations at 42 days and 3 months after birth. If both follow-up examinations fail, further diagnosis of newborn hearing impairment is necessary. For this situation, it is recommended that parents regularly bring their baby for hearing follow-ups and take appropriate measures based on the results. If the follow-up results continue to fail, consider the possibility of hearing impairment and seek professional help promptly.