Early Treatment for Hearing Loss in Infants is Critical—But Access to Care is Not Always Equal
About one in every 500 infants is identified as deaf or hard of hearing. When left undetected, hearing loss can result in delays in speech and language, as well as social and emotional development. Early detection and treatment can help avoid this. But not all children have the same access to testing and intervention.
Today’s WatchBlog post looks at our new report on a national program for early detection of hearing loss in infants and children, and issues with accessing that care. The video below translates our report findings into American Sign Language (ASL). A longer video at the bottom of this post shares an ASL translation of the report’s full highlights.
Infant Hearing Screenings: What You Need to Know
To ensure hearing issues are detected and receive care early, intervention programs use a 1-3-6 benchmark.
Before 1 month of age. Hospitals and birthing centers screen newborns shortly after birth for possible hearing loss. Special equipment measures the brain’s response to sound. The screening is easy and painless. It only takes a few minutes and infants often sleep through it.
By 3 months of age. Infants who don’t pass the initial screening should be evaluated by a specialist for further testing and diagnosis by 3 months of age. A specialist can determine the type, severity, and cause of the hearing loss and treatment options.
By 6 months of age, infants who are deaf or hard of hearing should be enrolled in early intervention programs to support communication skills and limit developmental delays.
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program Benchmarks
Image
Access to screening may not be the same for everyone
Social and economic disparities can impact access to care for some infants. This includes factors like a mother’s age, her level of education, and her race or ethnicity. Infants with mothers younger than 25, who were not college educated, were evaluated and diagnosed at a lower percentage than infants with older moms who had college degrees. Similarly, after being diagnosed with permanent hearing loss, infants with mothers who were older than 25, college educated, and identified as white were more likely to be enrolled in early intervention services than other infants.
Where you live could also be a factor. Some communities are experiencing a shortage in pediatric audiologists. This may explain why some infants aren’t getting diagnosed and served as quickly as recommended.
What is being done to address disparities in access?
The Department of Health and Human Services’(HHS) Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program awards grants to states and territories to track screenings and diagnoses of infants, as well as referrals for intervention services.
HHS is aware of ongoing disparities in access and is working with grant recipients to identify and address them. For example, HHS now requires state EHDI programs to create diversity and inclusion plans that show how they are working to provide care to the underserved within their community. Some states are also taking additional steps to serve families who are harder to reach. For example, one state EHDI program has created guidance on the use of telehealth and mobile audiology services to help connect specialists to rural and underserved populations.
Help for parents
There are resources available to parents with an infant experiencing hearing loss.
State EHDI programs often partner with nonprofit groups to offer support. Peer groups allow parents to connect with others experiencing similar issues. Some state EHDI programs also offer parent advocacy services to help parents navigate their child’s education once they are school age. State EHDI websites are another valuable resource for information to help families make informed decisions.
Here are some additional resources:
- If you have concerns about your child’s hearing, the CDC’s website on hearing loss may help answer some questions.
- Hands & Voices provides supports for families with a child who is deaf or hard of hearing.
- More information about the EHDI program can be found on its website.
Learn more about our work on the EHDI program by watching our video below.
- GAO’s fact-based, nonpartisan information helps Congress and federal agencies improve government. The WatchBlog lets us contextualize GAO’s work a little more for the public. Check out more of our posts at GAO.gov/blog.
- Got a comment, question? Email us at blog@gao.gov.
GAO Contacts
Related Products
GAO's mission is to provide Congress with fact-based, nonpartisan information that can help improve federal government performance and ensure accountability for the benefit of the American people. GAO launched its WatchBlog in January, 2014, as part of its continuing effort to reach its audiences—Congress and the American people—where they are currently looking for information.
The blog format allows GAO to provide a little more context about its work than it can offer on its other social media platforms. Posts will tie GAO work to current events and the news; show how GAO’s work is affecting agencies or legislation; highlight reports, testimonies, and issue areas where GAO does work; and provide information about GAO itself, among other things.
Please send any feedback on GAO's WatchBlog to blog@gao.gov.