Alfred Health News

Since the launch of the Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program (VIHSP) at Sandringham Hospital in January, over 400 babies had their hearing screened.

The Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program is a DHS funded initiative coordinated by the Royal Children’s Hospital with clinics set up across a number of metropolitan maternity hospitals. The program aims to identify babies at risk of hearing loss so they can benefit from early diagnosis and intervention.  

Executive Director of Sandringham Hospital, Ms Marguerite Abbott said the program had been a huge success.

“The program is extremely beneficial for babies and their families as evidence shows early intervention is integral to treating hearing loss among young children.  

“In the four months since the program started, 444 babies had their hearing tested at Sandringham Hospital,” Marguerite said. 

As of March 2009, over 91,000 babies had been screened across 18 Melbourne metropolitan maternity hospitals, and from October this year the program will commence expanding to rural and regional Victorian maternity hospitals.

Up to 70 babies are born each year in Victoria with a permanent congenital hearing impairment.

Dr. Melinda Barker, Co-Director, Victorian infant Hearing Screening Program says the program has a promising future for all Victorians.

“Since VIHSP screening has been in place, the age at diagnosis has reduced to around 5 weeks, dropping from the 14 months prior to pre-discharge screening commencing.

“This decrease down to 5 weeks really puts us in the right position to get the best possible intervention and the best possible start for these children.  

“We are very excited to be rolling out the program across the state.  By the end of 2010 we will be offering the screen to all babies born in Victoria,” Melinda said.