Identify babies who have permanent hearing loss as early as possible.

The national universal neonatal hearing screening programme is available to all babies in Manchester Hospitals and/or living in Trafford, Salford and Bury districts.  Screening is performed in maternity departments at St. Mary’s Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital and Community Outpatient Clinics in Manchester, Trafford, Salford and Bury.

If you give birth in hospital, you may be offered a newborn hearing test for your baby before you’re discharged.

The 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 first test. This happens with lots of babies, and doesn’t always mean your baby has a hearing loss.

In these cases, your baby will be offered a second test. This may be the same as the first 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.

If you are discharged before the test is performed or you have given birth at home then you will receive an appointment through the post to attend a community clinic.

If you give birth in hospital, you may be offered a newborn hearing test for your baby before you’re discharged.

Contact Details:

For more information on the hearing screening test please visit: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/newborn-hearing-test/