Sleeping Baby Hearing Test

The Sleeping Baby Hearing Test – Home Hearing Screen (SBHT) is an app that enables mothers to perform a non-invasive, behavioral hearing screen at home to screen their newborns, ages 2 weeks to 6 months, for possible hearing loss. The SBHT app is offered as an adjunct to Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS). The app provides both the basis and instructions for the screen. The app’s main feature is that it includes a sound level meter that is required to perform the screen. The self-calibrating sound level meter has been specifically designed for the iOS platform.

During the SBHT, mother’s use the sound level meter to visually “see and adjust” the loudness of their voice to 60 dB as they say standardized Ling Sounds to their sleeping babies.

The SBHT is used to screen newborns for possible hearing loss. If a newborn is ultimately diagnosed as have hearing loss and is fit with hearing aids, the screen may be repeated with the baby wearing hearing aids to elegantly access whether the hearing aids are providing benefit.

The SBHT app provides a convenient, easy to use, smartphone/mobile device application that enables newborn hearing screening on a global basis.

Features included in the app are:

· Intuitive “Home Screen” buttons to guide the use of the app
· Clear explanation concerning the basis for the SBHT
· Step-by-step instructions on how to perform the SBHT
· Link to a video demonstrating newborns being screened
· Self-calibrating, A-weighted, sound level meter with toggle “ON-OFF” button
· List of “Ling Sounds”, used for the test, that are conveniently located with the sound level meter
· Database for logging results, including test date and time, “Pass” or “Refer”, and whether the SBHT was performed without hearing aids (-HA) or with hearing aids (+HA).
· Guidance for parents as to the “Next Step” once the results of the hearing screening have been obtained
· Information about a free app called “ENTLINK” that has been developed by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Foundation to help parents locate an Ear, Nose and Throat physician in their area.