Question
What are the standards for neonatal hearing screening?
Answer
Neonatal hearing screening is an objective, rapid, and non-invasive examination conducted through auditory emissions, automatic auditory brainstem response, and acoustic impedance, etc., in the natural sleep or quiet state of newborns after birth. Generally, the test can be completed in just 5 to 10 minutes. Newborns should undergo their initial hearing screening within 48 hours after birth; those who do not pass the initial screen should have a hearing re-screening around 42 days later; and if they still do not pass at 42 days, they should undergo a diagnostic hearing examination around 3 months later. Children diagnosed with hearing impairment should receive timely medical intervention from a specialist at the hospital.