Hearing loss is the most common congenital disorder in newborns . The average age at which children are diagnosed with a hearing loss is 2.5 years. Recent research suggests that children born with a hearing loss who are identified and given appropriate intervention before 6 months of age have significantly better language skills than those children identified after 6 months of age. Infants identified with hearing loss can begin immediate intervention, including amplification, as early as 4 weeks of age. Early intervention will increase an infant's chances for language, cognitive and social development to be similar to that of hearing infants.
Otoacoustic emissions are faint sounds produced by most normal inner ears.
The sound cannot be heard by people, but can be detected by very sensitive microphones that are placed in the ear canal. The microphone records the otoacoustic emissions that a normal ear produces in response to an incoming sound. Emissions are commonly not detected in an infant or person who cannot hear. The testing is painless and can be done while a baby is sleeping. Small microphones are placed in the baby's ears and a sound is sent through the ear.