Understanding Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS)

Within the first three months of life, the UNHS is completed. At an average age of three months, it can identify irreversible hearing loss. However, without UNHS, it was shown that the average age of diagnosis was 31.25 months. The use of the doctor's and the parent's observations was unsuccessful. Testing techniques based on behavior DO NOT satisfy UNHS requirements.

Either alone or in combination, BRAINSTEM EVOKED RESPONSE AUDIOMETRY (BERA) and EVOKED OTOACOUSTIC EMISSIONS (EOAE) are used.

The Importance of Newborn Hearing Screening Across the Board

Early detection of hearing loss is essential for a child's general development, especially regarding language acquisition and communication skills. In order to enable prompt intervention and suitable support, UNHS ensures that any potential hearing problems are identified as early as feasible.

The whole development of a kid, especially in terms of language acquisition and communication abilities, depends on the early discovery of hearing loss. In order to provide prompt intervention and the proper assistance, UNHS ensures that any potential hearing abnormalities are discovered in the first few weeks of a newborn's life. The long-term prognosis for kids with hearing loss is considerably improved by early detection.

Evaluation Of "Refer" Infants From The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS)

A thorough medical history should be taken, and the newborns who do not pass the UNHS should further undergo ear microscopy, vestibular testing, threshold frequency-specific ABR and OAE, and visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA).

Progressive hearing loss, which affects preschoolers and accounts for 15-20% of SNHL young children, is not detected by newborn hearing screening.

Laboratory and genetic tests, a check for MTIs, and temporal bone imaging are all included in the auxiliary testing.

Tests For Hearing

1) Frequency-specific ABR thresholds: Tone-pip ABR is used to assess both bone and air conductions. Significant air-bone gaps are a symptom of middle and external ear issues.

2) Activation of otoacoustic emission

3) Tympanometry with at least 1,000 Hz of probe-tone frequency

Describe how the middle ear is doing.

At 0–6 months of age, the conventional tympanometry (using a 226 Hz probe tone) is invalid.

4) VRA, or visual reinforcement audiometry

Audiometry with visual reinforcement is a conditioning approach. Babies move their heads toward the source of the sound.

The newborn often responds when it is rewarded with activating a lit-up, animated toy, and an audiogram is taken.

Benefits of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening

UNHS offers several notable benefits:

Early Detection: By identifying hearing loss early, UNHS allows for timely intervention, which is crucial for a child's language development and overall well-being.

Emotional Support for Families: UNHS provides families with early information about their baby's hearing health, which helps them access support networks, resources, and educational materials. This support empowers families to understand and address their child's needs effectively.

Access to Early Intervention Services: Early identification of hearing loss enables infants to receive appropriate intervention services, such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, speech therapy, and other support systems. These interventions significantly improve a child's language acquisition and communication abilities.

Conclusion

The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) initiative aims to detect child hearing impairments as soon as possible after delivery. This article generally describes UNHS, emphasizing its importance, strategies, advantages, and following intervention and support measures.