If your newborn failed a hospital hearing screening, or you've been wondering whether your toddler's speech delay might be connected to their hearing, you're asking exactly the right question. Catching hearing loss early is one of the most impactful things you can do for your child's development — and the sooner you act, the better the outcome.
Why Early Detection Changes Everything
Hearing is the foundation of spoken language. From the first weeks of life, babies absorb the sounds around them, building the neural pathways that eventually become words, sentences, and the ability to learn in a classroom. When hearing loss goes undetected, that process gets quietly disrupted — often before you have any obvious reason to suspect a problem.
Children with untreated hearing loss are more likely to struggle with speech, reading, and school performance. Not because of their intelligence, but because they've been working harder than anyone realized just to piece together what's being said. Catching hearing loss in the first months of life means intervention can happen during the window when it matters most.
Nevada's Newborn Hearing Screening Program
All Nevada hospitals screen newborns before discharge. It's quick, painless, and happens while your baby sleeps. A "passed" result is great news. A "refer" result — sometimes listed as "did not pass" — doesn't necessarily mean hearing loss. It means the screening flagged something worth a closer look.
Refer results are actually pretty common. Fluid or debris in the ear canal right after birth can affect the outcome. The only way to know for sure is a diagnostic follow-up, and that's where our team comes in.
The Tests We Use for Young Children
When a baby comes in after a failed screening — or when you bring in a child of any age with hearing concerns — we use two key tools.
- Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) testing checks how the inner ear responds to sound. A small probe in the ear canal plays soft tones and measures the natural echo a healthy inner ear produces. It takes just a few minutes and requires nothing from your child.
- Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing measures how the brain responds to sound using small sensors placed on the scalp while your child rests or sleeps. This is the gold standard for infants and young children who can't respond to traditional hearing tests. It gives us detailed information across a range of pitches without requiring any participation.
Neither test is uncomfortable. Most babies sleep right through an ABR. For older children, we explain everything in age-appropriate language and move at their pace — no pressure, no rush.
Signs That Warrant a Hearing Check
Not all hearing loss is present at birth. Some develop gradually, and mild cases don't always get flagged early. Here's what to watch for as your child grows:
- Not startling at loud sounds as a newborn
- Not turning toward your voice by 3–4 months
- No babbling by 6–9 months
- Limited vocabulary or unclear speech for their age
- Frequently asking you to repeat yourself
- Turning up the TV louder than seems necessary
- Struggling in group conversations more than one-on-one
- Teachers reporting inattention or difficulty following directions
Any of these can have other explanations. But if you're noticing a pattern, it's worth getting their hearing checked. You're with your child every day — your instincts matter.
Who We Are and How We Can Help
Desert Valley Audiology serves pediatric patients of all ages at our Henderson and Las Vegas locations. Dr. Emily Romberger has a particular passion for working with children, and several of our audiologists have completed specialized clinical training in diagnosing and managing childhood hearing loss. We perform both OAE and ABR testing and make sure every young patient feels comfortable from the moment they walk in.
Before your appointment, we'll walk you through exactly what to expect so there are no surprises for you or your child.
Ready to Get Your Child's Hearing Checked
If your child received a refer result on their newborn screening, or something just feels off and you want answers, give us a call at 702-605-9133. Early testing is straightforward, stress-free, and gives you real information — which is always better than wondering.
