Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme

As a response to the success of newborn hearing screening programmes in other countries, the New Zealand Government announced in 2006 that it would fund a universal newborn hearing screening programme for all New Zealand children.

The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention Programme (UNHSEIP) is now being progressively rolled out in New Zealand over three years, a process which started in July 2007. The UNHSEIP is jointly lead by the Ministries of Health and Education to ensure those babies detected with a hearing loss receive support from the newborn period through to school entry.

Benefits of a universally offered Newborn hearing Screening Programme

Each year, it is estimated that between 135 and 170 babies are born in New Zealand with mild to profound permanent congenital hearing loss. This represents a birth incidence of approximately three babies with a hearing loss per one thousand births, which is within the range of international estimates.

The first six months of a baby’s life is a critical period for learning communication. Lack of exposure to language during this time can affect a child’s development, communication skills, educational and career achievements. The early detection of hearing loss, and the application of early interventions, has been demonstrated to significantly improve long-term language skills and cognitive ability.