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NEWBORN SCREENING

In order for babies to have positive speech, language, and listening outcomes, infants must undergo hearing screening. For those who don’t pass initial screenings, the most critical diagnostic test is the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test. An accurate and reliable predictor of hearing loss in infants, this simple, non-invasive procedure measures electrical impulses as a means of providing important information on a child’s auditory system. Simply put, ABR measures how sound travels through specific anatomical sites that act as “relay stations” along the auditory pathway, from the outer ear to the brainstem. The ABR measurement provides information on the degree, type, and configuration of a hearing loss, thereby allowing the infant to be fitted with a hearing instrument when needed.

P.S. Infants under the age of 6 months generally do not need sedation to undergo Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing.

The most important time for a child to learn language is in the first three years of life when the brain is developing and maturing. Research suggests that children with hearing loss who get help early develop better language skills than those who don’t. To schedule an appointment, please call EAR & HEARING CLINIC. We are registered members of the College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario.

Book Your Hearing Health Check Appointment

Book your appointment online, by calling 1-833-669-4425 for more appointment options and availability or by texting 226-220-7982

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