Every baby deserves the opportunity to have their hearing checked. This upcoming Deaf Awareness Month, the Carel du Toit Centre is encouraging parents to look out for the warning signs and seek professional advice for their little ones.
South Africa (20 August 2026) – Hearing loss is often called an “invisible disability” because babies born with hearing loss usually look healthy and may not show obvious signs during the first months of life, making early screening the only reliable way to identify hearing loss before it begins to affect speech and learning.
In South Africa, around 17 babies are born with hearing loss every day.
This Deaf Awareness Month, observed globally throughout September, the Carel du Toit Centre is highlighting one of the most important health checks a baby can receive: a newborn hearing screening.
The Centre is raising awareness that early identification is one of the most important steps parents and caregivers can take in giving children access to communication – which is essential for brain development.
A newborn hearing screening is quick, safe and painless. It can be done almost immediately after the baby is born and takes only a few minutes. If hearing loss is detected early, families can access specialist services and support during the critical months when babies’ brains are developing language.
Parents/guardians should seek professional advice if a child from:
Birth to 3 Months:
- Fails to startle, blink or “jump” at sudden loud noises
- Does not calm down to a familiar voice.
4 to 6 Months:
- Does not turn their head toward the direction of a new sound or a calling voice.
7 to 12 Months:
- Does not babble, respond to their own name or say simple words like “mama” or “dada” by their first birthday.
1 to 2 years:
- Cannot follow a simple instruction (fetch the ball)
- Cannot put two words together (more juice)
It is important to note, however, that many babies with hearing loss display no obvious symptoms, which is why newborn hearing screening is so important.
If you are concerned about your baby’s hearing health, contact your preferred healthcare provider or local clinic and arrange for your baby’s hearing to be screened.
Research has consistently shown that children whose hearing loss is identified and supported early in life (before six months of age) achieve significantly better outcomes in communication than children diagnosed later.
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Teaching Deaf Children to Speak and Helping Them Hear
For decades, the Carel du Toit Centre has been transforming the lives of families and children with hearing loss and their families through specialised early intervention programmes that focus on developing listening and spoken language. By working closely with families, audiologists, speech-language therapists, teachers and healthcare professionals, the Centre empowers children to reach their full potential.
With early identification, appropriate hearing technology and timely intervention, many children with hearing loss can develop listening and spoken language skills alongside their hearing peers.
Sarah Lange, Head of Audiology at Carel du Toit Centre, says Deaf Awareness Month reminds us that awareness must lead to action.
“Every baby deserves the opportunity to have their hearing checked. Early identification gives families choices, provides access to appropriate support and opens the door to a lifetime of communication, learning and opportunity.”
The Carel du Toit Centre is calling on healthcare providers, policymakers and parents to support universal newborn hearing screening across South Africa, ensuring that every child, regardless of where they are born, has access to early hearing detection and intervention. One simple hearing screening can make a lifetime of difference.
For more information about the Carel du Toit Centre and its specialised early intervention programmes, visit www.careldutoit.co.za.
Sources: Carel du Toit Centre
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