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What Is The Infant Hearing Program

The Infant Hearing Program provides hearing screening for ALL newborns in a community setting (Pathways Health Centre for Children) as part of Ontario’s Universal Hearing Program.

Screening a baby’s hearing accurately requires special training and equipment. The technology used for the hearing screen is safe and will not hurt your baby. The screen is reliable, quick and gives results right away.

Hearing screening identifies infants who should have more in-depth testing for hearing loss as early as possible. Two out of 1,000 babies have hearing loss at birth. Two more of those 1,000 will develop hearing loss by age 5. These children may hear some sounds but miss others, making it harder to learn speech and language. We also need to add that this program is a partnership with TVCC.  They are our lead agency for the program but babies in Lambton County are seen at Pathways Health Centre for Children.

Who we are and who we serve:

We have two specially trained screeners who see all newborn babies who have been referred by hospital and midwife groups.

Babies can be screened up to 8 weeks after birth (40 weeks gestation).

What to expect:

To prepare your baby for the hearing screen:

  • Avoid putting lotion on your baby’s head on the day of the screen
  • Feed your baby just before the appointment
  • Bring your baby sleeping or resting quietly in a car seat

A small soft tip is placed in your infant’s ear. Soft sounds are played and the equipment measures the ear’s response to these sounds. If needed, small stickers will be placed on baby’s forehead and behind each ear, to measure the brain’s response.

You will have results right away.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION

We are working hard to complete this section. Please come back and check later.

How To Refer:

AUTOMATIC REFERRAL FROM HOSPITAL OR MIDWIFE.