Changes coming to the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening process of the Ontario Infant Hearing Program

Changes will improve equity for families and support greater administrative efficiency. The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) changes will be implemented on March 4, 2024. 

What can you expect when your baby is born?

  • Hearing screen takes place in the hospital pre-discharge or in the community.
     
  • For screening in the community, you will receive a call soon after your baby is born to:
    • Gain parent/guardian consent for both hearing screening and risk factor screening in a single combined consent. Consent to UNHS or decline UNHS.
    • If you consent to UNHS, then a community screening appointment will be booked within the first 8 weeks following your child’s birth.
    • If the community screener leaves a message, please call back within 5 days of the birth of your baby.
       
  • Infant Hearing Program (IHP) screeners will enter the screening information electronically and there is automatic transmission of consent and demographic data to Newborn Screening Ontario (NSO). 
  • If you have not been contacted by 2 weeks from the date of birth, please call 1.877.818.8255 or 519.663.0273.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

  1. Where can I find more information about the Infant Hearing Program?

 https://www.ontario.ca/page/infant-hearing-program

https://infanthearingprogram.com/

  1. What is IHP risk factor screening ?

The screening of your infant’s heel prick blood spot or saliva sample allows for earlier and more accurate identification of infants with risk factors for permanent hearing loss. The screening is completed by NSO.

  1. What is hearing screening ?

A hearing screening determines whether an infant under the age of 8 weeks needs more hearing testing by an IHP Audiologist. The hearing screening is completed by a trained IHP screener either in the birth hospital or in the community.

  1. What does combined consent mean?

Parents/guardians will have the option to consent to UNHS which will include both the physiological hearing screening and risk factor screening. Only one answer (yes or no) will be required. Consent to both components or decline both components.

  1. Is my information secure?

Your information is protected by Ontario privacy legislation, so it’s kept secure. Only authorized users with valid Broader Public Sector Secure credentials can access information regarding screening results.

 

Please direct any questions about this change to Stacy McDougall, Manager of the Infant Hearing Program.  She can be contacted at 519-685-8700 ext. 53469 or by email at stacy.mcdougall [at] tvcc.on.ca (stacy[dot]mcdougall[at]tvcc[dot]on[dot]ca)

​TVCC is the Lead Agency and coordinates the Infant Hearing Program in the Southwest region of Ontario.  The IHP is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS).