We offer newborn hearing screenings and pediatric hearing tests to ensure that hearing loss is detected and treated at a young age.

Newborn Hearing Screenings

Though most newborns have no hearing problems, we test all newborns to find the few babies who may not be able to hear. It is important to find hearing loss as soon as possible because babies whose hearing loss is not found early may have a hard time learning. If we find hearing loss, there are many ways we can help your baby.

The hearing screening test is painless and can be completed in about 10 minutes. Most babies sleep through the test and the results are available before you leave the hospital.

Why do some babies need another hearing test?

Sometimes a baby does not pass the hearing screening because there may have been fluid in the ear, the baby may have been moving a lot, there may have been too much noise in the room, or the baby may have hearing loss. If an infant does not pass the initial hearing test, a follow-up test will be scheduled and performed before the baby is one month old.

Pediatric Diagnostic Testing

Our audiologists are specially trained to offer a number of pediatric hearing tests including:

• Visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA)
• Conditioned play audiometry
• Immittance testing
• Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) testing
• Auditory brainstem response testing
• Central auditory processing testing

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA)

VRA is a hearing test performed in a sound-treated room. This hearing tests is typically performed on children with a developmental age of seven months to two and a half years.

During this test, a child is seated on a caregiver’s lap or in a chair. Testing is performed using loudspeakers or earphones. When a sound is presented, the child’s head-turn response is rewarded by activating a light or sound source near the loudspeaker.

A complete hearing test can be obtained using this method.

Conditioned Play Audiometry

Conditioned play audiometry is a hearing test performed in a sound-treated room. It is used to test the hearing of children with a developmental age of two-and-a-half to five years.

The child is shown how to perform a repetitive play task, such as placing a peg in a pegboard, each time he or she hears a sound.

Speech-Language and Hearing Developmental Milestones

Around two months of age

• Startles to loud sounds
• Quiets to familiar voices
• Makes vowel sounds like "ohh" and "ahh"

Around four months of age

• Looks for sound sources
• Uses a variety of sounds

Around six months of age

• Turns head toward loud sounds
• Begins to imitate speech sounds
• Babbles (baba, mama, gaga)

Around nine months of age

• Understands "no-no" or "bye-bye"
• Turns head toward soft sounds

Around 12 months of age

• Correctly uses "ma-ma" or "da-da"
• Follows simple commands
• Responds to singing and music

If your child is not reaching these milestones, contact the Duke Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at 919-684-3859.

Hearing Aids

Learn more about hearing aid services provided by our Hearing Aid Dispensary.