Pérdida de audición en bebés

Before your newborn leaves the hospital or birthing center, they need to have a hearing test. This is a painless and short test. It will be explained to you before it is done. You should get the test results before you take your baby home. 

Most babies can hear normally. But 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 babies are born with some level of hearing loss. Sin pruebas de detección, es posible que la pérdida auditiva no se note hasta que el bebé tenga más de 1 año. If hearing loss is not found until later years, the brain's hearing centers won't be stimulated. This can affect a child's hearing development. It can also delay speech and language. El desarrollo social y emocional y el éxito en la escuela también pueden verse afectados. Many hearing loss complications can be prevented with diagnosis and treatment before 6 months old.

La mayoría de las hipoacusias se presentan al nacer (congénitas). Sin embargo, algunos bebés desarrollan pérdida de audición después del nacimiento. Hearing loss is more likely to occur in babies who:

• Are premature

• Have respiratory problems and used breathing machines for a long time

• Had past infections

• Are taking certain medicines

Because of these risks, experts recommend that all newborn babies be screened for hearing loss. Most often, parents are the first to find hearing loss in their child.