Newborn Infant Hearing Screening

As of July 1, 2000, Indiana law mandates that all hospitals in Indiana (subject to a mininum birth requirement) are required to perform a hearing screening on all newborn infants prior to release from the hospital. There are approximately 85,000 babies born in Indiana, each year of these 3 in 1000 or 250 babies will be detected with some hearing impairment.

The Indiana Lions Speech and Hearing, Inc. is partnering with Riley Children’s Hospital and First Steps a division of the Family and Children’s Bureau of Child Development, an agency of the State Of Indiana. This partnership is designed to insure that any newborn infant found to have a hearing impairment that can be helped by the use of hearing aids will be provided with hearing aid(s) as soon as practical. Hearing Aids can be applied as early as 2 weeks old. This program is designed to a temporary loan will permanent aids are acquired. This program will allow the Audiologist to try different times and strengths of hearing aids on the infant, before making a final recommendation.


The Lions of Indiana with a grant from LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION have provided the funds to establish and maintain a Newborn Infant Hearing Aid Loaner Bank at Riley. This loaner bank serves all of Indiana. Riley Children's Hospital will administer this program and will be responsible for dispensing the loaner hearing aids, upon written request, to licensed Audiologists throughout the state.

First Steps will coordinate with the infant’s family and their Audiologist to insure that permanent hearing aids are obtained for any newborn infant requiring them.

To learn more about this program contact one of the Indiana Lions Speech and Hearing Board of Directors listed or contact your local First Steps Coordinator.

Press Release:O’Bannon announces unique program to quickly help infants with hearing problems.

---

Got questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.

---