Before you bring your newborn home from the hospital, your baby needs to have a hearing screening & IEM screening.

Although most babies can hear normally, 1 to 3 of every 1,000 babies are born with some degree of hearing loss. Without newborn hearing screening, it is difficult to detect hearing loss in the first months and years of your baby's life. About half of the children with hearing loss have no risk factors for it.

Newborn hearing screening can detect possible hearing loss in the first days of a baby's life. If a possible hearing loss is found, further tests will be done to confirm the results. When hearing loss is confirmed, treatment and early intervention should start as soon as possible. Early intervention refers to programs and services available to babies and their families that help with hearing loss and learning important communication skills.

PARENTS. First Step Newborn Screening Test is done 24 hours AFTER a baby is born to identify serious Metabolic Disorders (IEMs or Inborn Errors of Metabolism) the baby may have been born with. These disorders if undetected and untreated can have adverse consequences for your baby's health.

That is why the Kisholoy Children’s Hospital recommends that all babies receive newborn hearing screening & IEM screening test before they go home from the hospital.