All babies in England to get hearing test

16 March 2006

Technology pioneered by Deafness Research UK is now allowing doctors to test the hearing of every newborn baby in England.

The NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme announced today that from 16 March 2006 all babies’ hearing will be checked.

Over 1,600 babies will be screened every day as part of the NHS New-born Hearing Screening Programme. That programme checks babies' hearing using equipment that measures how well their ears respond to sound. This technology reduces the possibility of missing hearing impairment or deafness at birth.

Deafness Research UK funded the development of the otoacoustic emission analyzer which will be used to test babies in this programme. Deafness Research UK also funded an early NHS pilot programme in Wessex which helped ensure that screening became a nation-wide programme and not just limited to high-risk babies.

Vivienne Michael, chief executive of Deafness Research UK said: "We supported this technology in its very early stages when it was difficult for researchers to find funding from any other source. Our aim was always to ensure that the hearing of every baby in the UK is routinely tested after birth. This way babies with hearing impairment are picked up as early as possible and can be given help which will have a dramatic effect on their life."

Professor Adrian Davis, Director, NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme, said:

"Over 1,000 babies are born each year in England with deafness or hearing loss in one, or both, ears. It is essential, therefore, that this is identified early. The programme does just that, enabling parents to access the appropriate support for their babies as quickly as possible."

Further information or interviews

Georgina Vincent
phone 020 7679 8973
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