A misdiagnosis can produce hearing loss in kids who didn’t have it to begin with. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/4bulyx9
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Parents who receive a diagnosis of hearing loss in their newborn need to ask for ABR and OAE tests – if both are done, there is little chance of misdiagnosis of auditory neuropathy, which is described in this article.
It is really important for newborns who really do have hearing loss to be fit with hearing aids or cochlear implants as soon as possible! Please don’t let this small percentage of unusual cases slow down the identification and intervention of kids with hearing loss. Every moment makes a real difference for these kids – the research is showing that “the earlier the better” is really true.
Since hospitals screen babies for hearing loss, we have seen the average age of detection of hearing loss drop dramatically (the average used to be 22 months old!). These kids get intervention BEFORE they fall behind and can have normal development despite their hearing loss. This was only a dream before the beginning of newborn hearing screening.
Please, don’t be scared by this article – if you have any concerns about your child’s hearing – find a pediatric audiologist – and check it out! They are carefully trained professionals who can determine if there really is a hearing loss and how to proceed.
Best Wishes,
Dr Efrat Schorr
HearingFamilies.com