Mangaluru: The District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC), Wenlock, team inaugurated the Centre for Newborn Hearing Screening on Friday, July 5, at Lady Goschen Hospital, Mangaluru. The ribbon was cut by the District Reproductive and Child Health Officer Dr. Rajesh B V in the presence of Medical Superintendent Dr. Savitha, DEIC Nodal officer, Dr. U V Shenoy and his team and the staff of Lady Goschen Hospital, Mangaluru.
Newborn Hearing Screening test helps identify babies who have permanent hearing loss as early as possible through OAE testing (OtoAcoustic Emissions). The OAE test is used to find out how well the inner ear, or cochlea, works. It measures otoacoustic emissions, or OAEs. These are sounds given off by the inner ear when responding to a sound. There are hair cells in the inner ear that respond to sound by vibrating. The vibration produces a very quiet sound that echoes back into the middle ear. This sound is the OAE that is measured. This means parents can get the necessary support and advice they need right from the start.
The hearing screening at this centre will happen any time after 24 hours of birth. The aim of this center is to provide a less time consuming, non-invasive and free screening of these babies at the earliest so that these babies can have a better chance of developing language, speech and communication skills. It’ll also help them make the most of relationships with their family or caregivers from an early age.
