Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) in India is recommended to detect congenital hearing loss. The appropriate two-stage screening protocol uses:
- A Behavioural audiometry at 3 months as first screen
- B ABR alone at 1 month of age
- C OAE at birth, followed by ABR if OAE fails ✓
- D Impedance audiometry (tympanometry) as primary screen
Correct answer: C. OAE at birth, followed by ABR if OAE fails
Explanation
The JCIH (Joint Committee on Infant Hearing) and Indian protocols recommend OAE (otoacoustic emissions) as the initial screen due to its speed, non-invasiveness, and high sensitivity for cochlear dysfunction. Infants who fail OAE screening proceed to diagnostic ABR (auditory brainstem response) to confirm hearing loss and determine type and degree. Behavioural testing is unreliable before 6 months; tympanometry tests middle ear function, not sensorineural loss; ABR alone is accurate but more resource-intensive for universal primary screening.
Reference: Dhingra Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 7th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.