Hearing Screeners
Hearing screeners can be comprised of early interventionists, speech language pathologists, nurses, trained technicians, and a variety of other professionals. As an individual providing hearing screenings, you are a vital part of the patient’s care team and a key part of Oklahoma Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI). Oklahoma EHDI strives to follow The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) reccommended timeline of hearing screening by 1 month, diagnostic evaluation by 3 months if needed, and intervention by 6 months if needed.
It takes a dedicated team to help families though the EHDI process. A key part of helping families though the process is timely reporting of hearing screening results for children 0-3 years of age. These results are used by Oklahoma EHDI staff to assist families in obtaining a diagnostic hearing evaluation and to provide resources as needed.
Beyond the newborn hearing screening, routine hearing screenings throughout childhood are vital to identify late onset hearing loss.
Thank you for helping the efforts to care for Oklahoma’s children!
- 1 Month: All infants should have a hearing screening by 1 month of age
- 3 Months: If after two screenings the baby does not pass, a medical and hearing evaluation is needed before 3 months of age
- 6 Months: If a hearing loss is detected, treatment and intervention should be started by 6 months of age
There are three methods to report hearing results. Complete the screening form and:
- Email it to OSDH.newbornhearing@health.ok.gov.
- Fax it to 405-900-7554.
- Mail it to:
- Newborn Hearing Screening Program
Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Ste. 1702
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406
- Newborn Hearing Screening Program
- Oklahoma 310:540-1-3 requires that all hearing screening results are submitted within 7 days of the screening. This information is used to track newborns who do not pass their initial hearing screening and to encourage rescreening and diagnostic testing.
- OAC 310:540 states a parent may refuse the newborn hearing screening on the grounds that such examination conflicts with their religious tenets and/or practices; refusal of hearing screening shall be indicated in writing utilizing the Newborn Screening Program Refusal Form provided by the Department. The Newborn Screening Program Refusal Form must be completed in its entirety.
Newborn hearing screening results are located on the Newborn Screening Result web portal. For new access to the web portal, please email or call the public health lab.
- (405) 564-7753
- PublicHealthlab@health.ok.gov
Order Educational Material
- Oklahoma Family Network (OFN) provides family support: Community for Hearing Loss Awareness Training and Supports – Oklahoma Family Network
- The Oklahoma School for the Deaf (ODS) Family Engagement and Early Language Supports (FEELS) provides intervention services: Oklahoma School for the Deaf - FEELS Program (osd.k12.ok.us)
- Sooner Start is designed to meet the needs of families with infants or toddlers with developmental delays at no charge to the family: SoonerStart (oklahoma.gov)
- JCIH 2019 (audiology.org)
- National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM)
- Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Hearing First
- About | Starts Hear
- Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc.
- Hands and Voices
- About Baby's First Test | Baby's First Test | Newborn Screening | Baby Health (babysfirsttest.org)
- Professional Resources (ehdi-pals.org)
Contact Information:
Mailing Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Newborn Hearing Screening Program
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Suite 1702
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406
Phone: (405) 426-8309
Fax: (405) 900-7554
E-Mail: OSDH.newbornhearing@health.ok.gov
