Two centers, namely screening and reference centers, are mentioned in Ministry of Health Neonatal Hearing Screening Program. Hearing tests that should be carried out within the first 72 hours after delivery are performed at Screening Center. Reference center is a superior center where diagnostic tests are performed for the babies for whom results cannot be obtained from the tests at screening center.

The most common way of communication is speaking. Babies and children learn how to speak by listening to others around them. Normal language development can only be ensured with healthy hearing. Hearing losses prevent the babies and children from learning how to speak. As these losses get more severe, their negative effect on speech increases and when the severity reaches to a certain level, it is impossible for them to learn how to speak on their own. Information exchange is limited for children who cannot establish verbal communication. Since they cannot get sufficient stimuli, mental development and creativity are negatively affected. Hearing-impaired children get ill-tempered, introvert and demonstrate low social adaptation since they cannot express their feelings and requests. To ensure that speech and language development is near normal, diagnosing the hearing loss and starting treatment early will have a positive effect on the child’s social, emotional, cognitive and academic development.

Our hospital includes screening and reference centers defined in Neonatal Hearing Screening Program. The hospital has all kinds of equipment and a specialist staff which are necessary for both screening and reference centers.