When should a child be referred for a hearing test?
Hearing loss is a common birth defect; about 4 in 1,000 newborns have a hearing loss. In the state of California all children must have a hearing screening before they go home from the birth hospital. If your child did not have a newborn hearing screening before leaving the birth hospital you should see an Audiologist or Hearing Screener to have your child’s hearing screened. Newborns that do not pass their newborn screening will be referred to a Pediatric Audiologist for further evaluation.
A child who does any of the following should be referred for a hearing evaluation:
• Talks in a very loud voice or has no speech
• Does not respond consistently when called by their name
• Turns head only one way toward sound
• Has a hard time understanding or following directions after the age of 3
• Does not startle to loud noises
• Has small or deformed ears
• Does not have clear speech
• Fails to develop sounds or words that are appropriate for their age
What do I do if my child has been referred?
If your child needs a hearing test or any Audiology service, you will need approval before you make the appointment.
• If you have a HMO insurance plan you will need a referral from your child’s doctor, the doctor’s notes and insurance authorization.
• If you have Straight Medical you will need a referral from your child’s doctor and the doctor’s notes.
• If you have PPO insurance you will need a copy of your insurance card.
• If you are self-pay, please call to make an appointment and you will be given an estimate for the cost of the testing.
Once you have insurance authorization, and it has been received by Hearing and Speech, please call to make an appointment. Instructions will be given to you at this time to call and pre-register your child. You may be given additional instructions about the appointment; this could include feeding and sleep instructions for your child if needed.
Children commonly treated for hearing loss include:
• Children with at least a 2 day stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
• Symptoms or other findings associated with a syndrome that includes hearing loss
• Family history of sensorineural hearing loss since birth
• Craniofacial anomalies, including deformities of the outer ear and ear canal
• Infections while the mother was pregnant with the child, such as cytomegalovirus, herpes, toxoplasmosis or rubella
• Treatment with ototoxic substances used in hematology, pulmonology, oncology, transplant, and NICU. Medications, such as chemotherapy drugs cisplatin, gentamicin, kanamycin, furosemide etc.
• Children who have had head injuries
• Children who have had Meningitis or other viruses which cause very high fever
• Ventilator dependent children
• Children treated with ECMO
• Children with developmental disabilities
• Children with recurrent ear infections
Please note before any appointment you must call 1-800-877-2452 and pre-register your child.
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