Hearing assessments in people with Down syndrome must be performed by professionals trained in audiology
- Newborns should be included in neonatal hearing screening programmes where available, to exclude congenital sensori-neural hearing loss by oto acoustic emissions (OAE) and/or brainstem auditory evoked responses (ABR).
- Full audiological assessment should be performed between 6 and 10 months even where neonatal screening has been normal and thereafter repeated yearly until 5 years of age and thereafter every 2 years for life. Methods used should allow measurement of auditory thresholds, impedance testing and otoscopy (looking in ear canal to see ear drum).
- Those with detected abnormalities require more frequent assessment and ready access to ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist services
- Guidance for parents should include discussion about hearing problems and their management, supported by quality written information
