North Carolina Hearing Screening Requirements for Newborns and School-Aged Children

The following information summarizes hearing screening programs for newborns and school-aged children.

This information has been collected by researching individual state statutes, regulations and policy documents, and by contacting each state. Please be advised that regulations and policy may change at any time, so always check with your state for the most up-to-date information.

Newborn Screening

Screening

Medical facilities that provide birthing or inpatient neonatal services shall:

1. Physiologically screen each newborn in each ear for the presence of permanent hearing loss before the infant is discharged from the medical facility after birth unless medical complications prevent such; and
2. Maintain the equipment necessary to physiologically screen each newborn for the presence of permanent hearing loss.

Intervention

Intervention is not addressed by laws/regulations.

Standards/Protocols

Standards and protocols are not addressed by laws/regulations.

Tracking/Reporting

All persons performing physiologic hearing screenings for infants less than six months of age shall report within five days following the screening (or date of the appointment for the screening) to the North Carolina State Laboratory for Public Health, using forms developed by the Department of Health and Human Services:

1. Identifying information (such as name, address, birthdate, mother's name, mother's Social Security number, mother's Medicaid number, birth hospital, physician, county of residence) for each infant, and either
2. The outcome of each hearing screening, or
3. The date of the missed scheduled appointment for such screening.

All birthing/neonatal facilities performing neonatal physiologic hearing screenings shall report quarterly to the Division of Public Health, using forms developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, within 30 days after the end of each quarter in the calendar year, total unduplicated count of:

1. Neonates who were screened,
2. Neonates whose parents or guardians objected to the hearing screening,
3. Live births, if the report is being submitted by a medical facility,
4. Transfers into the facility, not previously screened, and
5. Neonates not screened due to transfer out of the facility, NICU complications, missed screening, death or other reasons.

All persons performing diagnostic auditory evaluations and assessments for selection of amplification for infants less than twelve months of age shall report within five days of the appointment to the North Carolina State Laboratory for Public Health, using forms developed by the Department of Health and Human Services:

1. Identifying information (such as name, address, birthdate, mother's name, mother's Social Security number, mother's Medicaid number, birth hospital, physician, county of residence) for each child, and either
2. The outcome of the diagnostic evaluation and amplification selection; or
3. The date of the missed appointment for such evaluations or assessments.

School-Age Screening

Ages/Populations Screened

Every child entering kindergarten in the public schools must receive a health assessment, which includes a hearing screening.

Who Can Screen

A licensed physician, a physician's assistant, a certified nurse practitioner, or a public health nurse.

Training for Screeners

Training for screeners is not addressed by laws/regulations.

Type of Testing

Type of testing is not addressed by laws/regulations.

Equipment Standards

Equipment standards are not addressed by laws/regulations.

Follow-up Protocols & Documentation

Follow up protocols and documentation is not addressed by laws/regulations.

Resources

The information contained herein was collected and summarized annually. For detailed information on hearing screening requirements, visit these websites:

Newborn Screening Statute: N.C. Gen. Stat. §130A-125

Newborn Screening Regulations: N.C. Admin Code tit. 10A, r. 43F.1203

School-Age Screening Statute: N.C. Gen. Stat. §130A-440 [PDF]

Questions regarding this document? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.