May is Better Hearing & Speech month and your hearing screening efforts can make a significant contribution to the information collected and maintained as a part of each child's Medical Home record.  When a child does not pass the hearing screening, other professionals who are part of the child's Medical Home will need to be made aware so that a diagnostic evaluation can be promptly completed.  It is also valuable to share the screening results of the majority of children who DO pass the hearing screening.  

Periodic hearing screening can contribute to:

• Baseline data documenting a child's health over time. If developmental delays or other problems arise, a hearing screening history contributes to timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment. 

• A complete description of a child, including abilities, strengths and challenges. A child's relationship to the world of sound is an essential aspect of a developmental profile. 

Most health care providers do not have the Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) equipment needed to screen the hearing of children 0 - 3 years of age.  In the absence of objective, periodic screening, hearing loss is likely to remain an "invisible condition" either missed completely or misdiagnosed.