Newborn Hearing Screening Test

The newborn hearing test is called the automated otoacoustic emission (AOAE) test. It takes just a few minutes.
A small soft-tipped earpiece is placed in your baby's ear and gentle clicking sounds are played.
It's not always possible to get clear responses from the 1st test. This happens with lots of babies, and does not always mean your baby has permanent hearing loss.
It could mean:
• your baby was unsettled when the test was done
• there was background noise
• your baby has fluid or a temporary blockage in their ear
In these cases, your baby will be offered a 2nd test. This may be the same as the 1st test, or another type called the automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) test.
The AABR test involves placing 3 small sensors on your baby's head and neck. Soft headphones are placed over your baby's ears and gentle clicking sounds are played. This test takes between 5 and 15 minutes.