Quick answer: A baby with typical hearing startles at loud sounds from birth, turns toward sounds by about 6 months and responds to their name by about 9 to 12 months. Every newborn should have a hearing screening, ideally by 1 month. This free checklist shows whether your baby's responses suggest a hearing test is needed.
How this checklist works
Choose your baby's age, tell us whether a newborn hearing screening was done, and answer five yes/no questions about how your baby responds to sound and voices. A final question asks about known risk factors for hearing loss. The checklist takes about two minutes, and each result explains what to do next.
How babies respond to sound in the first year
| Age | Most babies… |
|---|---|
| 0–3 months | Startle at sudden loud sounds, quieten or smile when spoken to, recognise a parent's voice |
| 4–6 months | Move their eyes toward sounds, respond to tone of voice, notice sound-making toys, babble and laugh |
| 7–12 months | Turn toward sounds, respond to their name, understand familiar words, babble in strings like “baba” |
Newborn hearing screening: the 1-3-6 plan
Hearing loss is one of the more common conditions present at birth, and it cannot be seen. International guidance follows a simple plan: screen by 1 month, confirm any hearing loss by 3 months, and start support by 6 months. Babies who get support by 6 months have the best chance of developing speech and language on time.
Screening usually uses an OAE (otoacoustic emissions) test, which checks the inner ear with a small, soft probe. If more information is needed, a BERA test measures how the hearing nerve responds to sound. Both are painless. Sound Bridge offers newborn hearing screening, OAE and BERA testing in Kalinga Nagar, Bhubaneswar.
Babies at higher risk of hearing loss
- More than 5 days in neonatal intensive care (NICU)
- Severe jaundice that needed an exchange transfusion
- Infections such as meningitis, or infections during pregnancy such as CMV
- A family history of permanent hearing loss from childhood
- Differences in the shape of the head, face or ears
Babies with any of these should have their hearing checked again as they grow, even after a newborn pass.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I check if my newborn can hear?
Watch whether your baby startles at sudden loud sounds and calms to your voice, and make sure they have a newborn hearing screening test. A screening test such as OAE is the only reliable way to check a newborn's hearing.
My baby passed the newborn screening. Can hearing loss still happen?
Yes. Some hearing loss develops later, for example after ear infections, illness or for genetic reasons. Keep watching how your baby responds to sound and arrange a hearing test if you have concerns.
What is the difference between OAE and BERA?
An OAE test checks the inner ear by recording faint echoes it gives back to soft sounds. A BERA (or ABR) test measures how the hearing nerve and brainstem respond to sound. Both are painless and need no response from the baby.
Does a baby hearing test hurt?
No. OAE and BERA tests are painless. A small probe or soft sensors are used, and tests are often done while the baby is asleep or calm.
At what age can a baby have a hearing test?
From birth. Newborn screening is ideally done by 1 month, and babies of any age can have a hearing test if there is a concern.
More free checks
See all free speech and hearing checks.
- Does my child need speech therapy?Speech and language check, ages 1 to 6+
- Do I need a hearing test?Hearing check for adults or a parent
- Which hearing aid style suits me?BTE, RIC, ITE or CIC finder
This tool is general education and screening only and does not replace a personal clinical assessment.