Newborn Hearing Contract Extended

Since October 2015 Earbus Foundation of Western Australia has delivered the newborn hearing screening program in WA’s private maternity hospitals on behalf of the WA Health Department. The Newborn Hearing Screening (NBHS) Program runs in five St John of God Hospitals (Subiaco, Murdoch, Mt Lawley, Bunbury and Geraldton) and two Ramsay Hospitals at Joondalup and Glengarry.

Earbus Foundation of WA Screeners are based in each hospital and screen all newborn babies using Automated Auditory Brainstem Response machines to test babies for hearing loss. The machine compares the response to a normal hearing algorithm and identifies those babies who may need further testing. The NBHS Program aims to screen babies within the first month of life, diagnose any hearing loss within the first 3 months of life and have babies into an early intervention program before 6 months of age. Babies who are diagnosed early have a much greater chance of achieving normal developmental milestones in speech, language and cognitive development.