Some, like D.J., are tested because they have relatives with hearing impediments. Others are born premature. Studies show that children who do not receive early intervention are much more likely to suffer speech and language delays, poor performance in school, behavior problems and poor social development. Yesterday, California debuted a statewide early detection program to screen newborns for hearing loss. By 2002, more than 200 hospitals in the state will be screening all infants.
Screening tests are simple and can be performed on babies while they sleep.
A nurse attach- es electrodes to an infant's head, and then places foam rubber earphones over the baby's ears. Much like an EKG works for the heart, the machine picks up activity in the brain's hearing centers. By looking at a computer, a nurse has an idea if a problem might exist. Infants with questionable hearing screens are referred for further testing, said Dr. Carol Miller, a pediatrician at the University of California at San Francisco. By 2002, state-certified hospitals will screen 400,000 newborns each year, more than 70 percent of the babies born in California.