Current Newborn Hearing Screening Practices across Canada, by prov/terr, 2016

5.4.3 Current Newborn Hearing Screening Practices across Canada, by prov/terr, 2016
  • Universal program, fully implemented
  • Provincially-funded program, not yet universally implemented
  • Screening for select populations or by request
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
AB BC MB NB NL NT NS NU ON PE QC SK YT

Map used with permission from Guttmann, A., Gandhi, S., Hanvey, Li, P., Barwick, M., Cohen, E., Glazer, S., Reisman, J. & Brownell, M. (2017). Primary Health Care Services for Children and Youth in Canada: Access, Quality and Structure. In The Health of Canada’s Children and Youth: A CICH Profile. Retrieved from https://cichprofile.ca/module/3/ -accessed July 25, 2017.

Click here to see how the data was gathered.

In 2011, the Canadian Paediatric Society published a statement recommending universal newborn hearing screening.1 Since that time more provinces/territories are moving towards implementation. Some have partial programs, or offer screening for select populations. The territories offer partial programs in their capital cities. Some provinces offer screening in select regions, hospitals or by request. Currently five provinces – Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and British Columbia – have legislated and fully implemented universal newborn hearing screening programs. They screen within the first month, provide diagnosis at three months and intervention by the appropriate professional at six months.2

According to a Report Card on Early Hearing Detection and Intervention, only British Columbia received an ‘excellent’ rating with Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick receiving a ‘good’ rating. (You can see this Report Card here.) A further progress report in January 2016 by the Canadian Infant Hearing Task Force has reported that Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories are all in the process of implementing programs. (See the Progress Report here.) Continued work is needed in Canada so that this evidence-based intervention is available to all Canadian infants.

1Patel H, Feldman M, Canadian Paediatrics Society. Universal newborn hearing screening. Paediatrics and Child Health 2011;16:301-5.
2Canadian Paediatric Society, 2012 edition. Are we doing enough? A status report on Canadian public policy and child and youth health. http://www.cps.ca/en/status-report -accessed July 28, 2017.