Navigation

DeafHear.ie | News / Information : Latest News

Emma McAuley screens a babies hearing in NAD's Dublin office as part of her training for UNHS

DeafHear.ie and Rotunda Hospital Newborn Hearing Screening Pilot ProjectUNHS Pilot Project
In late 2006, NAD and the Rotunda Hospital agreed to conduct a pilot hearing screening project to determine if the Rotunda Hospital would be a suitable site to conduct Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS). Some concern had been expressed that the environment in the hospital might be too noisy to conduct UNHS effectively. The pilot involves screening 200 newborn infants for hearing loss in the hospital, and by comparing referral rates from the pilot programme with other sites internationally, we will be able to determine with some confidence if the hospital is suitable for conducting UNHS.

The hearing screening is being completed by 2 NAD staff members, Emma McAuley and Angela Mitchell, and screening began on 2nd February. They are completing the screens using a MADSEN Hearing Screening machine supplied on loan from GNResound form the UK. It is hoped to complete the project by the end of April.

The pilot project will also help to raise awareness of the need for UNHS in Ireland, and provide information on the logistics involved in its implementation. The project is extremely timely in that the Chief Executive of the HSE has recently committed to implementing UNHS in the near future.

Further information on the project is available by contacting Brendan Lennon at our Dublin office