Newborn hearing test

Neonatal hearing impairment - 1 in 1000 babies

• Completed within 4-5 weeks of birth, usually before discharge
• Use automated oto-acoustic emission (audiometry) – place probe in ear, play sounds and detect echo/faint sounds from cochlear hair cells
• If no response/abnormal – refer for automated auditory brainstem response screening test (early detection and management improves outcomes)

Newborn blood spot (heel prick) test

• 5-9 days of age
• 4 drops
• 9 conditions

–cystic fibrosis

–sickle cell

–congenital hypothyroidism

–phenylketonuria (PKU)

–medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD)

–maple syrup urine disease (MSUD)

–isovaleric acidaemia (IVA)

–glutaric aciduria type 1 (GA1)

–homocystinuria (pyridoxine unresponsive) (HCU)