Health Professionals Guide to Newborn Screening

Newborn Hearing Screening

Each year approximately 200 babies are born deaf or have significant hearing impairment in Wisconsin. Studies have shown that early detection and intervention dramatically improves language skills, cognitive abilities, and social development.

Technology has recently improved such that screening for hearing loss can be done in the nursery before the baby is discharged. The Wisconsin Division of Public Health Sound Beginning Program is charged with monitoring the status of hearing testing in the state of Wisconsin.

An electronic surveillance program called We-Trac has been developed to assure timely follow up testing for those babies that fail hearing testing. The We-Trac data base is populated by the collection of hearing results on the newborn screening blood collection card.

The hearing results are entered into the newborn screening data base at the State Laboratory of Hygiene and then transferred to the We-Trac data base where DPH staff can access the data.

Hospital staff can also access We-Trac to check on babies born in their institutions to assure that the testing has been completed or the status of follow up testing for those babies that initially failed the hearing screening.

Below are a number of key issues regarding hearing screening in Wisconsin.

  • Hearing screening is done in the hospital before discharge. 


  • The hearing results are recorded on the newborn screening blood collection form (pink shaded area). 


  • The recording/reporting of hearing results must not delay the blood collection and/or sending of the blood specimen to the State Laboratory of Hygiene. 


  • For those babies that have hearing testing after the blood sample is taken, use the We-Trac queue to submit hearing results.


  • Tips for completing the hearing portion of the newborn screening blood collection form 


    • Always record screening date when different from the date of specimen collection. 


    • Be sure that the results, pass or refer, for each ear is recorded properly 


    • Record the proper screening method (ABR or OAE). Both is a valid entry 


    • If the baby is not screened, be sure to record the proper reason for not completing the screening.


    • Record any "risk factors" per instructions on the blue sheet of the blood collection form. 


  • If the hearing screening will not take place shortly after the birth due to an extended NICU stay, record “NICU” as the Not Screened reason on the initial and subsequent specimens. Hearing results can be entered directly into We-Trac by the NICU staff when completed 


  • More information regarding the general benefits of hearing screening can be found on the following website: www.infanthearing.org. 


  • For more information related to the Wisconsin newborn hearing screening activities, contact the Sound Beginnings Program at (608) 267-9191.

NEXT PAGE