All babies are offered a hearing screen in the first few weeks of life.
One or two babies in every 1,000 is born with hearing loss in one or both ears, often into families with no history of impairment.
Early detection is important for the development of the child. It also means that support and information can be provided to the parents at an early stage.
The audiology team at Arrowe Park assess all babies born in the unit when they are 24 hours old, using specialised electronic equipment. Occasionally it may need to be repeated, if there is fluid still present in the ears.
Babies born at home or who go home straight from the MLU/delivery suite will be sent an appointment for approximately 2 weeks time.
For further information, www.ndcs.org.uk or www.screening.nhs.uk