Annual Report Card on Infant Hearing Screenings Shows Positive Progress Towards the Detection of America's Number One Birth Defect

Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, M.D. Urges Hearing Screenings for
Every Newborn in America

Washington, D.C. - Today the World Council on Hearing Health (WCHH) in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM) released the results of its' Annual Hearing Healthy Kids State Report Card on Infant Hearing Screenings, citing a 64.8 percent increase in newborn hearing screenings in the past five years. The percentage of babies screened for hearing loss at birth has risen to an all time high of 89.8 percent as states ensure early detection of this silent epidemic.

In November 1999, the World Council on Hearing Health (formerly the National Campaign for Hearing Health) released data that indicated only 25 percent of U.S. newborns were screened for hearing loss that year. While there is widespread compliance with 50 states and the District of Columbia adopting policies or laws that mandate hearing screenings at birth, there are still a number of states that received an unsatisfactory rating of their newborn hearing screening programs including Alaska, California and Ohio.

"We have made great strides in the past five years to get the word out and stress the importance of infant hearing screenings are encouraged by the incredible rate at which more and more babies are automatically screened for hearing loss at birth," said Susan Greco, Executive Director of the World Council on Hearing Health. "That said, our work will not stop until we see universal newborn hearing screening and ensure that every state receives the necessary federal funding for these critical tests and follow up services."

Approximately 33 babies are born each day with significant permanent hearing loss. Experts have stressed the importance of screening all babies at birth in order to prevent these children from leaving the hospital with undetected hearing loss. With 89.8 percent of babies being screened today, that means that three babies still go home every day with undetected deafness or hearing loss.

"One in every one-thousand infants born in the United States today has a severe or profound hearing loss," said former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, M.D. "Without proper screening before the age of three months and appropriate intervention, it can have a severe impact on the development of communication skills, academic achievement, and social functioning of the child. It's not only good medicine, but it demonstrates fiscal responsibility to detect and treat hearing loss early on."

The 2004 findings of the fifth annual State-by-State Report Card indicate the following:

• Nine (9) Exemplary States: 95% - 100% of babies being screened, of which less than 50% of the funding for the program comes from temporary federal grants.
  
  
• Twenty-nine (29) Excellent States: 94 % - 100% of babies being screened, of which most of the funding for the program comes from temporary federal grants.
  
  
• Ten (10) Good States: 80% - 94% of babies being screened.
  
  
• Three (3) Unsatisfactory States: 80% or less of babies being screened.
  

The full report card can be seen on the web at www.WCHH.com.

This increase is largely due to the leadership on this issue by U.S. Rep. James T. Walsh (NY) for sponsoring the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Bill - the "Walsh Bill", the first-ever infant hearing legislation enacted in 1999.

"Before 1999, only 22% of all babies born in the United States had their hearing screened at birth," said Congressman Walsh. "Today, that number is 90% thanks to the encouragement and support of the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Bill. Furthermore, this federal effort supports appropriate intervention so that the impact of hearing loss on the child's development of communication skills, academic achievement, and social functioning is minimized."

"It's great to see such an improvement over the last five years in the numbers of babies being screened," said Carden Johnston, MD, AAP President. "The American Academy of Pediatrics supports early hearing detection and intervention for children, and is committed to working with the World Council on Hearing Health to ensure that 100 percent of babies born in the United States each year will have their hearing tested at birth and referred to a medical home for intervention as needed."

About the World Council on Hearing Health
Affiliated with 45 years of progress and proven support through otologic research discoveries, the Deafness Research Foundation launched the World Council on Hearing Health to put hearing health on the global agenda by promoting awareness, advocacy, education and legislation. Among the Founding Corporate Members of the WCHH are: Advanced Bionics, Sonomax Hearing HealthCare, Shure, Inc., Medtronic Xomed, Beltone Electronics, and Pediatrix Medical Group. Included in the Association/Institution members are the National Hearing Conservation Association and the League for the Hard of Hearing. For more information or to join the World Council on Hearing Health visit www.WCHH.com or dial toll-free at 1-800-829-5934.

About the American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 57,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. www.aap.org .

About the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management
In 1995, the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM) was established at Utah State University. Building on previous Consortium work, NCHAM assists hospital-based Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and state-based Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs in their efforts to ensure that all infants are screened for hearing loss at birth, and that infants who refer from screening receive timely and appropriate diagnostic and intervention services. www.infanthearing.org.

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