Newborn Hearing Screening Rolled Out To All DHBs

The national newborn hearing screening programme is now in place in all 20 District Health Boards, and it is expected that around ten babies a month born with a significant hearing loss will be identified, Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced

Mr Ryall said, "Identifying these little ones early is very important as steps can be put in place to help babies learn language as part of their usual early development. This is much harder to do later.

"We know that the earlier hearing loss is diagnosed and work with the child begins, the better the long-term outcomes for children and their families. The Government is investing more than $6.5 million a year in this programme.

"The programme expects to identify up to 120 babies per year with moderate or more severe permanent hearing loss, all of whom are expected to be screened in their first month.

"Eleven DHBs have been screening for a full year and have found at least 32 babies with hearing loss who will now be helped with language learning and development.

"That number will grow as the screening is now country wide."

In the past, many children were not diagnosed with hearing loss until around four years of age.

The rollout of the national newborn hearing screening programme commenced in 2007 with three DHBs, and has been increased subsequent to the election.

ENDS

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