Newborn hearing screening: selected experience in the United States

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Audiology

Background:

• Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) is increasingly mandated in the US.
• Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EDHI) programs aim to identify and treat hearing loss in infants.
• The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) provides guidelines for EDHI program development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current status of UNHS in the United States.
• To summarize the Colorado statewide EDHI program.
• To describe the JCIH Year 2000 position statement for EDHI programs.

Main Methods:

• Review of legislative mandates for UNHS across US states.
• Analysis of age of identification and intervention in states with established EDHI programs.
• Examination of language outcome data related to early intervention.

Main Results:

• Many US states now mandate UNHS, establishing EDHI systems.
• States with long-standing EDHI programs show significantly reduced ages for identification and intervention (typically before 6 months).
• Earlier intervention correlates with improved language outcomes for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Conclusions:

• UNHS and EDHI programs are crucial for early identification and intervention of hearing loss in newborns.
• The Colorado EDHI program serves as a model for statewide implementation.
• Adherence to JCIH recommendations facilitates comprehensive EDHI program development and enhances infant language development.