Why did I receive a letter or phone call from Florida EHDI when my baby passed the hearing screen at birth?
- Sometimes parents will receive a letter from the Department of Health stating that baby didn’t pass the newborn hearing screening. This is not intended to alarm, in most cases, this occurs when the hospital completes another hearing screening before your baby was discharged but did not provide the updated passing records to the Florida EHDI Program. If you received a letter, and have passing results for your infant’s hearing screening, please call the phone number on the letter and let the Program know so that your baby’s records can be updated.
- The objective of the EHDI program is to encourage early diagnosis of hearing loss and provide the opportunity for early intervention.
- Florida Statute requires that all babies are screened for hearing loss at birth, unless a parent objects. EHDI staff tracks all newborns that do not pass their initial hearing screening to encourage rescreening and diagnostic testing, if needed. This data is reported annually to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.