1. Charge of Rs. 150/- per child is a one-time payment and covers
repeat testings. Program was not supported by any grant.
2. The Cochin model of Universal Newborn Hearing
Screening (UNHS) is a huge social investment for early detection and
intervention. The social, emotional and physical cost of the 162
cases of deafness detected cannot be quantified just with money. The
screening has a futuristic and prophylactic utility; it creates
awareness for the future among the profession and the lay public to
look out for possibility of hearing impairment. By paying Rs.150/-,
screen negative parents are happy that their child has normal
hearing and screen-positive parents are relieved their child’s
problem is detected early for effective management.
3. Surveys have shown that 14% mothers reported
anxiety to a positive screen [1]. It is also reported that
regardless of anxiety, 90% of all respondents were glad that their
children had a hearing test and thought that universal hearing
screening was a good idea [2]. We reiterate to the parents that the
next level of testing is undertaken to rule out for good if there is
hearing impairment or not. It is soothing for most parents.
Therefore, the anxiety is only similar to any other screening tool
that is used in medicine.
4. Screening tests pick up hearing loss up to
30-35 db and not profound hearing loss.
5. It is unreasonable to claim that most mothers
pick up deafness in children before the age of 6 months on their
own. Responses to conventional sound cues are crude and
non-standardized and should never be resorted to, when we have
better, non-invasive standardized procedures.