The program

is mandated by legislation passed by the General Assembly and signed by

Gov. Roy Barnes in 1999.

"It's

exciting that babies in Georgia who have hearing loss are now much more

likely to get help early, when it does the most good," says Kathleen

E. Toomey, director of the Division of Public Health. "Eighty percent

of a child's language ability is established by the age of 18 months.

Hearing usually plays an important role in that learning process, so finding

and treating a problem right away can make a big difference. Children

with early hearing loss that goes undetected may later need long-term,

expensive, special education services."

A state advisory

committee guided the program's implementation and will monitor its success.

The committee includes pediatricians, audiologists, a hospital administrator,

adults who are deaf or hearing impaired, parents with children who are

deaf or hearing impaired, and legislators.

A brochure,

"Have you heard?" explaining the importance of the screening,

is being distributed to parents of newborns.

For more information

about newborn hearing screening in Georgia, see https://health.state.ga.us./programs/UNHS

or contact Lee Tanenbaum, acting coordinator, Newborn Hearing Screening

Program, at 404-657-4143.