Early Detection is Very Important

     According to the National Institutes of Health, one out of every thousand infants born in this country is either deaf at birth or suffers from a severe hearing impairment.  Many of these children are not recognized until their speech and language development have been compromised.  For this reason, it is extremely important that all infants undergo an otoacoustic emissions assessment as early as possible to rule out hearing loss.  This test is usually quick, and painless.

     The otoacoustic emissions test actually records the sounds of the microscopic hair cells in the inner ear as they respond to sound.  It is true, the microscopic hair cells actually make noise when they respond to incoming sound.  If the hair cells are not present, then no emissions will be recorded.  Damaged or absent hair cells is the most common cause of sensorineural loss.  There is no reason to wait until an infant is three or four years old to have their hearing checked.  A critical period for development of speech and language may be bypassed if the infant goes without proper auditory stimulation.  If you are concerned that your infant or toddler may not be hearing well, call me for an assessment.

For more detailed information regarding infant hearing testing, see the "Testing Infants" link on the front page.