Wisconsin 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
The physician, nurse/midwife or certified professional midwife who attended the birth shall ensure that the infant is screened for hearing loss before being discharged from a hospital, or within 30 days of birth if the infant was not born in a hospital.
Intervention
The physician, nurse/midwife or certified professional midwife who attended the birth shall:
- Ensure the parents or legal guardians are advised of the screening results.
- If the infant has an abnormal hearing screening result, ensure the parents or legal guardians are provided information on available resources for diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss.
Standards/Protocols
Standards and protocols are not addressed by laws/regulations.
Tracking/Reporting
The physician, nurse/midwife or certified professional midwife who attended the birth shall:
- Send to the state Laboratory of Hygiene Board screening results and the infant's risk factors to contract a hearing loss.
- The state Laboratory of Hygiene Board shall send the information provided to the Department of Health.
- The Department of Health shall provide referrals to intervention programs for hearing loss.
School-Age Screening
Wisconsin laws/regulations do not require school-age hearing screenings.
Resources
The information contained herein was collected and summarized annually. For detailed information on hearing screening requirements, visit this website:
Newborn Screening Statute: Wis. Stat. §253.115
Questions regarding this document? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.