At the 2025 NAPNAP National Conference in Chicago, Camille Walker, CPNP-PC, MSN, and Sacheen D. Harris, MSN, CPNP-PC, both pediatric nurse practitioners at the University of New Mexico Hospital, highlighted the critical role of early hearing loss detection in their session, "Hear and Now: Hearing Loss, Ear Infections and Development in Primary Care."

The Need for Early Screening

“We really wanted to do a talk on hearing loss because it is such a common thing, but it's not easily seen. It's kind of an invisible sense, and we feel like anytime we're talking about hearing help and awareness, that's a really good thing for the community,” Walker explained.

Harris emphasized the importance of newborn hearing screenings, noting the "1-3-6" guideline: “Every baby gets a hearing screen by 1 month of age, and if they fail that screening, they have full testing by the time they're 3 months old, and the goal is to get hearing aids or early intervention by the time they're 6 months old.”

Progress and Challenges in Hearing Screening

Walker discussed the evolution of newborn hearing screenings, stating, “Prior to the 1970s, we didn’t universally screen all newborns, and children were not being identified with hearing loss until they were closer to age 5, which is a developmental emergency.”

Today, screening rates have significantly improved, though Walker stressed that about half of babies who fail the screening are lost to follow-up, highlighting the need for primary care providers to ensure continued testing and intervention.

Addressing Gaps in Hearing Healthcare

Walker urged providers to make hearing screenings a priority in their offices.

“What I would want to say to people is, if you don't have hearing screening as an option in your office, prioritize making that one.”

She also underscored the need for formal audiometric testing for children with developmental delays, stating among these individuals, "a screening is not sufficient. It can't rule out a mild hearing loss. Every kid needs to go get that done.”

Harris added that certain populations are at higher risk for hearing loss, including premature infants and those exposed to ototoxic antibiotics in the NICU.

Walker also acknowledged the perspectives of the Deaf community, stating, “The vast majority of children born with profound hearing loss are born to hearing families.” She emphasized that for those families, early intervention is essential to help children develop listening and speaking skills.