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New Born Hearing Screening
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Implementing a Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention Programme in New Zealand
In May 2006 the New Zealand Government announced that it would fund a universal newborn hearing screening programme for all New Zealand children. The first stage of this programme was rolled out on the 1st July 2007 in three district health boards with existing programmes: Waikato, Tairawhiti and Hawkes Bay. It is envisioned that the screening will be available nationwide by 2010.
Approximately 170 children per year are born in New Zealand with permanent congenital hearing loss. In New Zealand during the past five years the average age for the detection of permanent hearing loss which is moderate or greater in severity is between 3 and 4 years of age. This means that when children are finally diagnosed with a hearing impairment they are behind their peers in many areas of development, particularly language acquisition, and they often never catch up. Through screening, early detection and intervention is possible and these babies have a much greater chance of reaching their potential.
Newborn hearing screening and early intervention programmes are operating across the developed world, and the New Zealand Audiological Society supports the introduction of a national programme in this country. In fact, the work of members of the audiological society will be crucial in the diagnosis and intervention components of New ZealandÕs programme.
To find out more about the New Zealand newborn hearing screening and early intervention programme follow the links below:
- Current NSU Programmes
- National Foundation for the Deaf
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