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Table 9. Frequently Asked Questions: Ear Fluid and
Newborn Hearing Screening
Question Suggested response
How many babies
who fail their
newborn hearing
screen will really
have hearing loss?
Only a very small number of babies who fail will have permanent
hearing loss. Overall, only about 2 or 3 of every 1,000 children in
the United States are born deaf or hard of hearing.
How common is
middle ear fluid in
children who fail a
hearing screen?
Middle ear fluid is a very common cause of a failed newborn
hearing screen and is found in about 6 out of every 10 children
who fail. e fluid will oen go away on its own in the first few
months of life, but if it does not, it may require help from a
doctor to remove it.
Can I assume that
middle ear fluid is
the reason for the
failed test ?
No. e newborn hearing screen cannot determine the cause of
hearing loss. About 90% of the time, hearing loss goes away when
the fluid does, but 10% of children may still have a hearing loss
that needs further medical attention. For this reason, it is very
important to retest your child's hearing aer fluid is gone.
If my child gets ear
tubes, how long
will it take before
the fluid's effect on
hearing goes away?
For about 70% of children, hearing loss caused by fluid will go
away right aer the tubes are in place. However, for about 30%
of children, it could take up to several months before hearing
improves. So if your child still has some hearing loss aer getting
tubes, keep in mind that hearing could still improve over time.
Are some babies
more likely to have
problems with
middle ear fluid
than others?
Middle ear fluid is more common in children with an abnormal
roof of their mouth (called "cle palate"), those with atypical face
shape or skull bones, or with those who have certain inherited
(genetic) problems.
If my baby seems
to hear normally,
can the tests be
wrong?
Parent assessment of child hearing is not always accurate, so it is
important to have the child's hearing professionally tested. Just
because a baby reacts to sounds does not mean the child has full
range of hearing. A baby may hear certain sounds but not others.
Only a professional hearing test that checks each ear separately
can accurately tell how your child hears.
