Why a newborn hearing test may need to be repeated, doctor explains

A failed newborn hearing screening can alarm parents, but it does not automatically mean a baby has hearing loss. Temporary factors in the first days of life can affect the result, including residual amniotic fluid, secretions in the ear canal, movement or surrounding noise.

In Lithuania, all newborns receive an initial hearing check using otoacoustic emissions. A small sensor placed in the baby’s ear emits quiet sounds and records the inner ear’s response. The painless, non-invasive procedure usually takes only a few minutes and requires no special preparation. It works best when the baby is asleep or settled.

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In the first months of a baby’s life, the brain is especially actively learning to recognize sounds, so even a minor hearing impairment can affect speech development, learning and the formation of social skills later on. The earlier it is detected, the more opportunities there are to help the child.

Inga Tamošaitienė, an otorhinolaryngologist at the Hila Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Center, said the screening is important because the brain learns to recognize sounds especially actively during the first months of life. Even a mild hearing problem can affect later speech development, learning and social skills.

“An initial negative result does not necessarily mean a hearing disorder,” Tamošaitienė said. If a repeat screening also raises concerns, doctors carry out more detailed tests to assess hearing accurately.

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The test is completely painless and non-invasive. A small sensor is placed in the baby’s ear, emits weak sound signals and records the inner ear’s response.

Parents should not rely only on a baby’s reaction to loud sounds. “A baby may react to louder noise, but that does not mean the baby hears speech sounds well enough,” the doctor said. Objective tests can assess hearing before a child can describe what they hear.

Tamošaitienė also advised parents to watch development after the newborn screening. A consultation should not be delayed if a baby does not respond to sounds or voices, or later fails to begin producing sounds or words appropriate for its age.

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A baby may react to louder noise, but that does not mean the baby hears speech sounds well enough.