Which screening assesses a newborn's hearing?

Which screening assesses a newborn's hearing?

• A. Newborn screening using ABR (auditory brainstem response).
• B. Newborn metabolic screening using tandem mass spectrometry.
• C. APGAR assessment.
• D. Newborn hearing screening using otoacoustic emissions (OAE).

Answer: (B)

Hearing screening in newborns is based on measuring how the inner ear responds to sound, specifically using otoacoustic emissions. When a sound is played in the ear, healthy outer hair cells in the cochlea generate tiny echoes called otoacoustic emissions. A small probe microphone can detect these emissions; if they’re present, it suggests the ear is functioning well and hearing is likely normal. If emissions are not detected, it flags potential hearing loss and a follow-up assessment, often with auditory brainstem response testing, is typically done to confirm and characterize the hearing status. The other options aren’t about hearing: metabolic screening with tandem mass spectrometry checks for metabolic disorders; APGAR assesses newborn adaptation at birth (color, heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability). While the auditory brainstem response test can also assess hearing, the screening described here aligns with otoacoustic emissions, which are specifically used to screen newborn hearing.

Hearing screening in newborns is based on measuring how the inner ear responds to sound, specifically using otoacoustic emissions. When a sound is played in the ear, healthy outer hair cells in the cochlea generate tiny echoes called otoacoustic emissions. A small probe microphone can detect these emissions; if they’re present, it suggests the ear is functioning well and hearing is likely normal. If emissions are not detected, it flags potential hearing loss and a follow-up assessment, often with auditory brainstem response testing, is typically done to confirm and characterize the hearing status.

The other options aren’t about hearing: metabolic screening with tandem mass spectrometry checks for metabolic disorders; APGAR assesses newborn adaptation at birth (color, heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability). While the auditory brainstem response test can also assess hearing, the screening described here aligns with otoacoustic emissions, which are specifically used to screen newborn hearing.