Programs
About the Newborn
We all begin learning from the time we are born. One of the ways we learn is through hearing. When babies with hearing problems do not receive proper treatment and early intervention, they have trouble with language development as they grow.
The Newborn Hearing Screening Program’s (NBHS) goal is to identify congenital hearing loss in children before three months of age with appropriate intervention no later than six months of age.
The NBHS is committed to the National Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) 1.3.6 guidelines supporting families in the early detection, diagnosis and timely intervention of hearing loss of infants and children in Kansas.
NBHS provides tracking of infants from hospital screening to the infant’s primary care physician, the audiologist, and the agencies that provide early intervention, ensuring that infants complete the hearing screening process and go into early intervention if diagnosed with hearing loss.
Mission & Vision
Our Vision: Improve the quality of life and health outcomes for children with hearing loss and their families by reducing the number of infants lost to follow-up for newborn hearing screening by ensuring audiological evaluation and referral to early intervention services.
Our Mission: Through a data-driven approach and relationship building, Kansas Newborn Hearing Screening strives to improve equitable access to information, services, and support for newborns and parents.
Early Detection is Essential
Early detection is crucial in hearing loss, as babies whose hearing loss is not detected early will likely have difficulty learning language.
For some babies, early intervention services may include using sign language and/or hearing aids. Studies have shown that infants with hearing loss who receive appropriate early intervention services by the age of six months usually develop good language and learning skills.
Some parents think they can tell if their baby cannot hear, which is not always true. Babies may respond to noise by startling or turning their heads toward the sound, but it does not mean they have normal hearing. Most babies with hearing loss can hear some sounds but not enough to develop full speaking ability.
Timing is everything, and the earlier, the better. If hearing loss is discovered, and treatment begins by six months of age, your baby will have the best chance for normal language development.
History of the Program
The Kansas Newborn Hearing Screening Program (also known as SoundBeginnings or Early Hearing Detection and Intervention) is a service the Kansas Department of Health & Environment provides to families with newborn infants in collaboration with participating hospitals, doctors, audiologists, and early intervention networks.
Kansas enacted the following legislation, effective July 1, 1999, to provide screening for the early detection of hearing loss in newborn infants: Every child born in Kansas within five days of birth shall be given a screening examination to detect hearing loss unless a different period is medically indicated.
The NBHS receives the hearing screening results from the web-based birth certificate system, VRVweb, developed for birthing facilities to provide online birth certificate transmission, including newborn hearing screening data. Outpatient rescreens and diagnostic evaluations must be reported to KDHE within 7 days as mandated in the statutes and regulations after testing via manual data entry or fax. NBHS follows up on all not screened and failed screens to ensure that the baby completes the hearing screening process.
Approximately 40,000 babies are born each year in Kansas. About 800 babies do not pass the screen or are not screened and need further assessments. NBHS provides services to these families: educating, helping to ensure the families understand the importance of returning for appointments, and providing resources to the families.
NBHS Staff includes the program coordinator and 2 program consultants – learn more about our team here.