The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) protocol recommends that permanent hearing loss be identified and intervention initiated by what ages respectively?

• A Screen by 1 month, diagnose by 2 months, intervene by 3 months
• B Screen by 3 months, diagnose by 6 months, intervene by 12 months
• C Screen by 6 months, diagnose by 12 months, intervene by 18 months
• D Screen by 1 month, diagnose by 3 months, intervene by 6 months ✓

Explanation

The 1-3-6 rule is the cornerstone of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening: screen by 1 month of age, audiological diagnosis by 3 months, and appropriate intervention (hearing aid fitting or cochlear implant referral) by 6 months. This critical period aligns with auditory pathway plasticity windows. Early intervention before 6 months correlates with significantly better speech and language outcomes compared to later identification.

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.