New Born Hearing Tests

[756]

Our baby missed getting a hearing test and I'm now wondering if it's really worth it?  Is this an 'up sell' from the doctor? 

[Tangela]

They introduced hearing tests in Australia in 2005 when my daughter was born and she did have one but it did not cost us anything.  Her hearing was perfect.

My newphew was born 5 years ago so missed out on the test and my sister has recently discovered that he is deaf in one ear.  Specialist has told her that he was probably born that way.

I would personally go for it.

[from my experience]

you should, for peace of mind, go for one.

children/babies start their language learning from birth through clear reception of speech sounds. any loss of hearing, no matter how mild, is detrimental to language learning. sometimes a child with mild hearing loss exhibit attention problems in schools because these kids miss out 25 to 40% of what is being said. imagine what it's like for children with greater losses.

to the PP, please be careful with any form of hearing loss, even one sided loss. research has shown that children with one-sided loss often do not get intervention and years later will show deficits in language development.

try this easy test. cover one of your ears and you'll instantly hear the difference in how well you can perceive sounds and speech.

kids don't often complain of any hearing loss because they don't know any better. its up to us as parents to intervene for them.