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Hi there. I'm a pediatrician. Even full-term infants get a "refer" all the time in the newborn nursery - the vast, vast majority of them will pass on repeat testing in a couple of weeks. Even if your little one doesn't pass tomorrow, I wouldn't freak out. Most of the hospitals around me will try 3 times in the hospital, then refer to try again as an outpatient. I frequently get patients that needed that extra attempt outside the hospital setting, a couple weeks after discharge, to pass. It's really common...

@Septemberlove- my son was tested in the newborn nursery and did not passed the test the first time. Two weeks later, I took him back to get his hearing check again and he passed (it took a while as the screening lady said that my son's waves were quite busy so she had to try a few times but did not give up on him). My son is now 3 months and is cooing up a storm.

I hope all goes well for your lo tomorrow and if it doesn't, wait for the final outcome. I know it is hard but it sounds like you have been very positive through your lo's stay in the NICU so far, keep it up. My son was also in the NICU, too! I know how hard it is not to be able to hold your lo and have your lo home with you.

P had to have a hearing test down that the ENT when she was a couple/few weeks old. Even there it took a couple times, but that was a positioning issues with her teeny tiny ear canals. Once the lady got them positioned right she passed just fine. We were supposed to have a follow up at 8 months but didn't really feel the need as she seems to hear just fine. =)

Also, my older one had to have his redone as well which they figured was from him having been born via cesarean & not getting all that fluid pushed out! His second time was great! =)

If he's responding to sounds that sounds like a great sign! In the newborn days my mom gave me a great piece of advice to help me hang in there when it's still day by day- "it's not a problem until it's a problem." As in, don't stress about things that MIGHT happen because lots could go wrong.

I've been in the newborn special care nursery quite a few times and it's pretty loud in there compared to the absolutely silent room they conduct the other newborns' tests in, so I wouldn't worry too much about it!

@septemberlove: I don't know anything about hearing tests for babies but I wanted to drop in and say I'm thinking of you. I'm sure it will all be fine. Apart from that, how's he doing? And how are you? ((hugs))