My Child Failed Their Hearing Screening — What Happens Next?

Take a breath. A failed newborn hearing screening is not a diagnosis. It's a signal that your baby needs a closer look, and most of the time, that closer look reveals perfectly normal hearing. Here's what's actually happening and what you should do about it.

Why Babies Fail the Screening

Newborn screenings are designed to cast a wide net — they flag babies who need follow-up, not babies who definitely have hearing loss. Plenty of babies who don't pass turn out to hear just fine. The initial screening they receive is quick and non-invasive, but it's also easy to influence. Fluid in the ear canal from delivery, a noisy room, or a wiggly baby can all trigger a "refer" result.

None of those things mean your child has hearing loss. What it means is that a more thorough test — called a diagnostic ABR — is the right next step.

What an ABR Test Actually Involves

ABR stands for Auditory Brainstem Response. It's the standard test audiologists use to evaluate hearing in infants, and it works without any participation from your baby. Small earbuds go in your baby's ears, and tiny sensors are placed on the scalp. The system plays soft sounds and measures how your baby's brainstem responds to them — objectively, without guessing. Your baby just needs to rest or sleep. The test takes about an hour and gives your audiologist clear data about whether a hearing loss is present, and if so, how significant it is.

It's painless. There's nothing to prepare for. You just show up (preferrably during a window when baby is sleepy), use your comforting presence to help keep them calm, and let the equipment do the work.

Why You Shouldn't Wait

The first few years of life are when children build the foundation for speech and language. Kids learn to talk by listening, and if a hearing loss goes unaddressed during that window, it can affect vocabulary, speech clarity, reading readiness, and social development — in ways that become much harder to address later. Early diagnosis makes an enormous difference in outcomes. That's not meant to scare you. It's meant to explain why "let's wait and see" isn't the right approach when a baby hasn't passed their hearing screening. Weeks matter at this age.

The Problem Families in East Texas Have Been Facing

Until recently, if your baby didn't pass their newborn hearing screening in Lufkin or the surrounding East Texas area, you were likely told to travel to Houston — two-plus hours away — for a diagnostic ABR. With a newborn. For a test that's time-sensitive. That's a real burden. It delays testing, delays answers, and delays getting your child the support they need. We didn't think that was acceptable, so we changed it.

What We've Done About It

Audiological Services has partnered with the Texas Hearing Institute to bring ABR testing directly to families in Lufkin. Through a TeleAudiology arrangement, we connect you with the Texas Hearing Institute and facilitate diagnostic testing here in our office — no Houston trip, no long wait. Because this partnership operates through the Texas Hearing Institute's non-profit structure, cost isn't a barrier. This service is available regardless of your insurance situation. If your baby has received a "refer" result and you're not sure what to do next, that's exactly what we're here for.

Who Will Be Caring for Your Baby

Our team at Audiological Services includes Dr. Leah Guempel and Dr. Gabrielle Tabb, both Doctors of Audiology. Dr. Tabb completed her externship in pediatric audiology at OU Children's Physicians, working extensively with medically complex children. She's deeply committed to making sure no child in East Texas misses out on care simply because access was out of reach. Between the two of them, they've evaluated hearing in children from newborns through teenagers. Your baby will be in experienced hands.

Schedule a hearing test for your baby in Lufkin

If your newborn failed their hearing screening, don't sit on it and don't try to navigate it alone. Call us at (936) 632-2252 or reach out through our website to schedule an appointment. We'll explain exactly what your baby's results mean, connect you with the ABR testing they need, and walk alongside you through whatever comes next — all without leaving Lufkin. Getting answers is the first step, and that step is easier than you might think.