United States - Annual Data Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program 2008

Early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) refers to the effort to identify infants with permanent hearing loss as early as possible. It starts with screening every newborn for hearing loss, ideally before one month of age. Infants not passing the screening receive diagnostic evaluation, ideally before three months of age and if identified with a permanent hearing loss enrolled in early intervention programs, ideally by six months of age. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have EHDI laws or voluntary compliance programs related to newborn hearing screening and early identification. The EHDI HSFS is an annual survey administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is sent to the EHDI Program Coordinator in each state, the District of Columbia, the territories, and 3 freely associated states. The survey requests aggregate, non-estimated information related to the receipt of hearing screening, diagnostic audiologic testing, and enrollment in early intervention.