When you know the status of your baby's hearing first, you can ensure their brain is accessing all the sounds it needs to grow.
Hearing is so essential to your baby's brain development that in most states, a newborn hearing screening (NHS) happens before your baby even leaves the hospital. This screening lets you know as soon as possible if your newborn potentially has hearing loss, which is more common than you might think. Addressing hearing loss right away is critical.
The NHS is safe, quick, and painless. It includes one or two gentle tests that can be conducted in your hospital room or infant nursery while your baby is asleep. They'll either pass or fail. If they pass, it means there are likely no signs of hearing loss at this time. If your baby fails, they'll need a hearing evaluation, which is more in-depth testing.
What the Screening Looks Like
This video from Boys Town National Research Hospital shows what happens during a newborn hearing screening so you know what to expect for your baby.