In Wales, babies and children are offered two routine hearing screens. The first is offered when they are newborn and the second screen is offered when they reach compulsory school age (the school year they turn five years old).
IMPORTANT - if you have any concerns regarding your child’s hearing, please seek a referral from your Health visitor or GP for a hearing assessment.
Newborn hearing screening - All newborn babies will be offered to have their hearing screened by a newborn hearing screener. This may be done on the ward or you may be sent an appointment to attend a community health clinic. The screen will involve putting a soft tip into each of the baby’s ears. The screen helps to tell the screener which babies may need a further hearing test or not. The screen does not detect all hearing losses and some hearing losses can develop with time.
School entry hearing screening - All reception aged children will be offered a hearing screen at school. The school hearing screeners will arrange a date with your child’s school and you will be sent an opt-out consent form before the visit.
From September 2022, if your child is of reception age but is home-schooled, you will be contacted by the Audiology department to arrange your child’s hearing screen.
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.
We welcome correspondence and telephone calls in Welsh or English. Welsh language correspondence will be replied to in Welsh, and this will not lead to a delay. This page is available in Welsh by clicking ‘Cymraeg’ at the top right of this page.