Speech and language are already developing even though first words won't be spoken until about 1 year of age. It is important for your baby to have a hearing screening done while in the hospital. If a baby has a hearing loss found, then help can be given with speech training at a young age.

The screening test is painless and takes just a few minutes while your baby is asleep. You will get immediate results. If your baby passes the test, then it means there is no hearing problem at this time. If your baby does not pass the test, then your baby needs to have another test after leaving the hospital. This does not mean that your baby is deaf or hard-of-hearing. Sometimes the baby is too restless during the test or there was a temporary problem that will correct itself. Your pediatrician can help you arrange for another hearing test.

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