Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses
Published on: January 23, 2017
Intensive care nursery noise and its influence on newborn hearing screening
Insights
Noise exposure in neonatal intensive care units may not impact infant hearing screenings. Our study found that noise levels, even within isolettes, did not appear to influence behavioral hearing test outcomes for newborns.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Intensive Care
- Auditory Health
- Infant Development
Background:
- Premature infants are vulnerable to environmental factors.
- Existing noise exposure guidelines are based on adult data.
- The impact of noise on infant hearing screening is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure sound pressure levels in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and isolettes.
- To assess the relationship between noise exposure and infant hearing screening outcomes.
- To determine if noise is a significant factor in infant hearing screening failures.
Main Methods:
- Sound pressure levels were measured within NICU environments and isolettes.
- Behavioral hearing screening status (pass/fail) of infants was recorded.
- Data was analyzed to correlate noise levels with screening results.
Main Results:
- Measured noise levels were within adult damage risk criteria.
- Infant hearing screening pass/fail status was reported.
- Noise exposure was not found to be an influencing factor in infant hearing screening.
Conclusions:
- Current noise levels in NICUs may not negatively affect infant hearing screening.
- The stimulus parameters used in behavioral testing might explain the lack of correlation.
- Further research may be needed to fully understand noise impact on infant auditory development.
Abstract:
Numerous studies have recently reported the possible damaging effects noise exposure may have on premature infants. While noise levels appear to be within established damage risk criteria for an adult, there is little evidence to support the assumption that intensity levels and duration are similar for an infant population. It was the purpose of this study to measure sound pressure levels within an intensive care nursery and a series of isolettes and to report the behavioral pass/fail screening status of infants who were confined to those settings immediately after birth. It is suggested from the results of our study that due to the stimulus parameter used in behavioral testing, noise exposure is not an influencing factor in infant hearing screening.
