Comments for consumers
This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.
Australian Prescriber is unable to comment on individual cases or give second opinions.
Australian Prescriber Vol. 26 No. 4 2003
Hearing tests
Some babies are born deaf. In some cases the family may know if there is a high risk of deafness. For example, there is sometimes a family history of deafness, or the mother may have had an infection like German measles during pregnancy. However, in some cases the deafness is not expected. New technology will soon enable all babies to have a hearing check.
To check the hearing a machine makes clicking noises in the baby's ears. The machine detects the baby's response to the noises. If there is no response the baby may need another test to check for deafness.
Babies' hearing is important for their development. If they cannot hear properly they will have difficulty learning to talk. Finding deaf babies as soon as possible means they can start any treatment quickly. This helps them to achieve their full potential.
Patient support organisations:
Deafness Forum and Australian Hearing