Early Hearing Detection Intervention (EHDI) Program

The health department provides newborn hearing screening tests at our health centers. Appointments are required. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 678-442-6863.

It’s important to have your baby screened for hearing loss before they turn 1 month old.

The most crucial period for language development is the first year of life. Without newborn screening, hearing loss is typically not identified until two years of age.

More than half of babies born with hearing problems are otherwise healthy and have no family history of hearing loss. Babies with hearing loss may appear to hear, when in fact, they are responding to vibration or other stimulation. That is why newborn hearing screening is important.

In Georgia, the birthing hospital completes a hearing screening on your baby before discharge. If, however, your baby was not born in a hospital setting, this important screening may not have occurred. To ensure your baby does not have hearing loss, get your baby screened before they are one month old.

Babies who are diagnosed with hearing loss early can start interventions that can help them have their best outcome.

Hearing loss can affect a child’s ability to develop speech, language, and social skills. The earlier a child who is deaf or hard-of-hearing starts getting services, the more likely the child’s speech, language, and social skills will reach their full potential.

Early intervention program services help young children with hearing loss learn language skills and other important skills. Research shows that early intervention services can greatly improve a child’s development.

It’s important to screen your new baby for hearing loss and follow up with specialists when recommended. Remember 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months!

By One Month

Your baby should be screened for hearing loss.

By 3 months

Your baby will need to see a specialist, like an audiologist or ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT), for further hearing evaluation.

By 6 months

Your baby, if diagnosed with hearing loss, should start intervention services. These services may include speech therapy, hearing devices or other services your baby’s doctor or care coordinator recommends.

The health department provides newborn hearing screening tests at our health centers. Appointments are required. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 678-442-6863.

What should I expect when I get my newborn screened for hearing loss?

Most babies sleep through their hearing screening test. Tests are safe, easy on the baby, and only take a few minutes.

There are two newborn screening tests:

Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR)

This tests your baby’s ability to hear soft sounds through small earphones. Baby’s brainwaves are measured to find out whether the sounds are processed normally.

Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)

This test measures a baby’s responses to sounds directly using a small microphone and special computer.

If you want more information about newborn hearing screening, call 678-442-6863.

About the Early Hearing Detection Intervention (EDHI) Program

Early Hearing Detection Intervention, or EDHI, maintains and supports a comprehensive, coordinated, statewide screening and referral system that includes screening for hearing loss in the birthing hospital; referral of those who do not pass the hospital screening for rescreening; for newborns who do not pass the rescreening referral for diagnostic audiological evaluation; and, linkage to appropriate intervention for those babies diagnosed with hearing loss.

To learn more, visit State of Georgia EHDI website.

Additional reading

Hearing Loss Screening information from CDC https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/screening.html

Hearing Loss Treatment information from CDC https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/treatment.html