Universal Newborn Hearing Screening

The Government of Manitoba passed legislation for all newborn babies to be offered screening for hearing loss at birth, effective September 2016. We know that children who receive early diagnosis and early intervention (before six months of age) will develop better language and social abilities. For the majority of the babies tested, their hearing will be normal.  However, if your baby is referred for further hearing evaluation, an audiologist or other hearing health professional will contact you. If your child is identified with a hearing loss, experts will work closely with you to help establish effective communication and social skills.

Professionals believe that families should be informed of all communication options for their child, and respect that a family’s desired outcomes should guide all decisions for your child. If your desired outcome is that of a listening and spoken language future for your child, please contact us at the Central Speech and Hearing Clinic and we will assist in guiding you in reaching your goals.

For questions about speech-language pathology or audiology, please visit Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC).

To see if your baby is following typical developmental milestones, you may wish to view SAC’s brochure.

Review SAC’s position paper on Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS).