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Hearing and vision checks for babiesDisclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child. Key points to remember
 Back to TopWhat hearing checks are needed for babies? Your child's hearing will be screened at birth as part of the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention Programme. If your baby's hearing has not been screened, talk to your midwife or doctor so that the screening can be arranged. For more information about the programme and why you should have your baby screened, see:
Back to TopWhat does it mean if my baby passes the hearing screening? If your
baby passes the hearing screen, it means that at the time of the
screen, your baby's hearing was good. It is still possible for some
babies who pass their hearing screen to develop a hearing loss later.
The checklist on the back of the following leaflet will help you monitor
your baby's speech and language skills as they grow. See:
Back to TopWhat if my baby needs repeat hearing screening? Some babies may need a repeat screen because the earlier screening did not show a strong enough response in one or both ears. For more information, see:
Back to TopWhat if my baby is referred to an audiologist? If your baby's hearing screening shows that a further check is
needed, your baby will be referred to a hearing specialist
(audiologist). For more information about this referral and what help is
available if your child is diagnosed with a hearing loss, see:
Back to TopWhat vision checks are needed for babies?Your child's eyes should be checked soon after birth for what is
known as a ‘red reflex'. Children who have an abnormal reflex are
referred to an eye doctor (ophthalmologist). Some very premature babies need eye examinations when they are in the newborn unit. Back to TopWhere to go for more informationRelated fact sheets
Hearing and vision checks for young children
Hearing and vision checks for older children Ears: Ear infections - brief version Other websites
HealthEd www.healthed.govt.nz HealthEd is a catalogue of health resources from the Ministry of Health. The resources in the hearing section inlude: advice on newborn  hearing
screening; glue ear and earache in young children; and hearing
assessments in the Well Child programme of free health checks.NSU (National Screening Unit) www.nsu.govt.nz The NSU website provides information about the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme, including a checklist Can your baby hear? (at right) Plunket www.plunket.org.nz
Plunket is New Zealand's leading provider of Well Child and family health services. Plunket programmes aim to support families with young children. To find out about the services Plunket offers, check What we offer on the Plunket website. For your nearest Plunket office, check Plunket in your area on the Plunket website, or look under Plunket in your phone book. Plunket also offers a specialist early childhood health telephone help service. It is available to all families, whanau and caregivers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call PlunketLine free on 0800 933 9220800 933 922
Back to TopYour notesEndorsement
This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 19/08/2011
CopyrightFact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation. © The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2012
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