Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
Hearing loss is the most common congenital condition in the United States. Each year, an estimated three in 1,000 infants are born in the U.S. with hearing loss, which means there are about 375 babies with permanent hearing loss born in
Georgia every year
The most crucial period for language development is the first year of life. Without newborn screening, hearing loss is typically not identified until two years of age. Screening for all newborns prior to discharge from the hospital or birthing center is essential for the earliest possible identification of hearing loss and, consequently, for language, communication, educational and reading potential to be maximized.
More than half of babies born with hearing problems are otherwise healthy and have no family history of hearing loss. If a baby has a hearing loss, you can still help them develop language skills. The sooner you act, the better the outcome. Screening for hearing loss as early as possible is important because:
- Early screening allows for early treatment, if hearing loss is detected
- Early intervention can provide earlier language stimulation for a baby’s brain
Hearing loss in children almost triples between birth and school entry. As outlined by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing 2019 Position Statement (see Table 1), there are a number of risk factors for late onset hearing loss include: parental concern, family history of childhood hearing loss, congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV), Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), bacterial or viral infections associated with hearing loss (meningitis, encephalitis, herpes viruses or varicella), craniofacial anomalies, chemotherapy, and syndromes associated with hearing loss. Ongoing surveillance throughout early childhood is necessary to prevent a negative impact on developing communication skills which may lead to delays in school readiness.
Have You Heard? Brochure
Hearing Screening Brochure
Newborn Screening Brochure (English)
Newborn Screening Brochure (Spanish)
Contact Information:
Phone: (404) 657-4143
Fax: (404) 657-2773
What does the EHDI program do?
The EHDI Program maintains and supports a comprehensive, coordinated, statewide screening and referral system.
EHDI includes screening for hearing loss in the birthing hospital; referral of those who do not pass the hospital screening for rescreening; for newborns who do not pass the rescreening referral for diagnostic audiological evaluation; and, linkage to appropriate intervention for those babies diagnosed with hearing loss. EHDI 1-3-6 national benchmarks are: screening before one month, diagnostic evaluation before three months, and enrollment in early intervention by six months. Technical assistance and training about implementing and maintaining a quality newborn hearing screening program is provided to hospitals, primary care physicians, audiologists, early interventionists, and public health staff.
A suspected or confirmed case of hearing loss in children from birth to age five is a notifiable disease, and must be reported to the Department of Public Health.
The Role of the Medical Home is responsible for ensuring appropriate and timely referrals to providers that are capable of performing evaluations and are knowledgeable in congenital hearing loss. This can be achieved by:
- Obtain written results of newborn hearing screening from birthing facility on all newborns
- By one month of age, ensure that all newborns have at minimum one hearing screening. If infant failed/referred inpatient hearing screening, a secondary follow-up screening should be completed by one month of age
- Before three months of age, ensure that infants failing/referring secondary screening complete audiological diagnostic evaluation. Refer to a provider that can complete a diagnostic ABR. Once over four months of age, sedation may be required to complete diagnostic testing.
- Provide referrals to early intervention, otolaryngologist, ophthalmologist and genetics after diagnosis of permanent hearing loss
- Manage otitis media with effusion
- Closely monitor for signs of hearing loss for infants who pass newborn hearing screening and refer for audiological evaluation per JCIH recommendations, developmental/speech delay, cCMV infection, or parental concern, as hearing loss may develop at any age.
To help locate a provider or health department that offers rescreens or diagnostic audiological testing, please visit the EHDI Facility Finder, EHDI PALS, Georgia Mobile Audiology’s audiologist locator.
Physicians providing follow-up screenings to newborns not passing the initial hearing screening are required to report any follow-up screening results to the Department of Public Health. Screening results can be reported through SendSS or by faxing a completed C1st Screening and Referral Form and sending to the EHDI District Coordinator for the district that the family resides.
Additional Resources listed at EHDI website.