About childhood deafness

In the UK, around 840 babies are born each year with a permanent hearing loss.

If not identified early this can have a devastating impact on the development of language and communication skills, along with confidence and social skills. But with early identification and appropriate support, research shows that children can develop these skills at a similar rate to their peers who do not have a hearing loss.

The hearing of babies in the UK used to be tested at about 8 months, using the 'Infant Distraction Test'. This test was not very accurate, and failed to identify around half of those with a hearing problem. Around 50% of babies with a hearing loss were not identified until 18 months old, and 25% were still undiagnosed at 3 years old.
 
We screen all newborn children in the UK. Deafness Research helped fund the development of the test used: the Automated Otoacoustic Emissions Test (AOAE). This test is based on the discovery that for each sound which is heard by the ear, the ear itself produces a tiny corresponding sound, an echo known as an otoacoustic emission.
Last updated on 27th March 2012
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