The Ontario Infant Hearing Program (IHP) is a province-wide, publicly funded system that screens every newborn for hearing loss and follows at-risk children until age six. Ontario’s IHP follows the internationally recognized 1-3-6 benchmark, with a few province-specific refinements layered on top. This article will explain how the Infant Hearing Program work and what Toronto families can do for their newborn in the midst of the strike.
How Does the Infant hearing Program Look Like
The IHP is delivered by 11 regional “Ontario Infant Hearing Program” agencies across the province, all funded 100% by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and required to follow the same standardized provincial protocol. The program is supports hearing in children below the age of 6 through three components:
1. Screening — universal hearing screening for every newborn, done either in-hospital or through community-based screening clinics. For infants flagged as at risk for late-onset or progressive hearing loss, even if they initially pass screening, they are monitored throughout the program. Some common reasons why they are flagged for risk could be family history of hearing loss, atypical results noted from blood test, or exposure in noisy environment including extended stay in the NICU.
2. Assessment and Identification — if an infant did not pass the diagnostic screening, the program follows up with further audiological diagnostic procedures to confirm or rule out permanent hearing loss.
3. Early Intervention — once a permanent hearing loss is identified, the program provides family support, hearing aid/amplification fitting, and communication development programming.
IHP accepts referral into their care system up to the age of 6.
The Referral Pathway by Age
The route a child takes through the system depends heavily on age at the time a concern is identified:
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Under 2 months: Usually the DPOAE screening (stage 1) is done. But there are plenty of reasons where this wasn’t: it could be as small as absence of the tester due to sickness, or as big as the latest strike in Toronto.
- 2-6 months: If the infant did not receive a “pass” results in the “stage 1” screening, the IHP keeps them in the loop and refers them for a more detailed ABR-based diagnostic assessment. In Ontario, the ABR testing is usually referred to and done at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). This age group qualifies for direct entry into the diagnostic pathway and you do not need a physician referral first.
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Over 6 months with a suspected permanent loss: The responsiblity of care goes to the family doctor or pediatrician, where suspicions of permanent hearing loss are referred to community hearing clinics such as Toronto Hearing Services with locations across North York, Markham, and Etobicoke for a Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) testing. At this age, referral is no longer automatic. To qualify for the IHP and funding support, you will need a physician referral suspecting permanent hearing loss. If the test results suspect permanent hearing loss, the pediatrician will refer you onto IHP for further support.
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Under 6 years: Children can still be referred back into the IHP for services, since the program’s mandate covers children from birth up to their sixth birthday. As permanent hearing loss is permanent, continuity of care is essential. The IHP will assist you with information on options to keep up the care for the hearing care. such as financial support from Ontario Disability Support Program or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities. This will be done through a list of community audiology clinics that has experience in caring for hearing needs in pediatric population, including audiologists at Toronto Hearing Services.
What Happens After Age 6
Once a child turns 6 years old, they age out of the Infant Hearing Program (IHP). At this milestone, responsibility for their hearing care transitions away from early childhood program providers to school-based resources and community medical networks
Under the assistance from IHP, all births in Ontario should have been screened for permanent hearing loss, and should have been connected to a community hearing clinic for continuous care. Common support provided at this point includes:
– School accommodations: Local school boards take over providing classroom supports like FM listening systems, preferred seating to reduce interference from noise, and acoustic adjustments. Some schools do require a letter from regulated medical professionals, such as audiologists. You can reach out for support here by clicking on this link.
– Specialized school support: Resource teachers for the deaf and hard of hearing offer direct learning support within the classroom environment.
– Audiology care: Routine diagnostic hearing assessments and hearing aid adjustments shift completely to public hospital clinics or private community audiology clinics.
– Funding transition: Financial support for devices like hearing aids moves from early childhood grants to general provincial programs like Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP). Financial support from Ontario Disability Support Program or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities will usually stay available.
Why There is No Infant Hearing Screening in Toronto Right Now
Surrey Place is the lead agency responsible for delivering the IHP in the City of Toronto (M postal codes). The organization is currently in a labour strike, which means there is effectively no IHP screening or booking service being delivered in the Toronto area for the duration of the disruption. This is why families in Toronto postal codes need an alternate path to get their baby screened rather than waiting on local service to resume.
Given that, here’s the practical workaround currently in place:
1. Leave a message with the Tri-Regional Infant Hearing Program that is generously providing support to affected families. They are able to take on a limited caseload and can be reached at 1-888-703-5437, extension 4.
2. Book directly for the diversion clinic at Vaughan, supported by Oak Valley Health’s Tri-Regional Infant Hearing Program. They have set up temporary additional services at their Vaughan (Toronto) Infant Hearing Screening Community Clinic located at Vaughan Early Intervention Services Office, 9060 Jane St, Vaughan. Click on this link here and it will bring you directly to the booking site for Toronto families with newborn. Please note that their system screens you by your home address. If your address is outside their catchment area, you will need to select another clinic which can be reached by this link to the online booking portal for the Toronto, Tri-Regional, and Central West Infant Hearing Programs.
3. Expect a wait. The earliest available screening appointment through this route is currently about five weeks out at the time of writing. There is no way to skip the queue or access a private/expedited slot. While there are private clinics that utilize the same equipment for the same DPOAE testing, which is extremely useful to catch hearing loss before it shows up on a standard audiogram and explains why one still face hearing challenges even though standard hearing tests show “normal hearing”, IHP is a highly standardized government service and only designated IHP sites which are only and directly funded by the government is given the status. This designated status allow the child to automatically enter the IHP system (e.g. for follow-up ABR and hearing support) if they failed/could not pass the screening.
4. Changes still require a phone call. If a family needs to reschedule or cancel a booked appointment, Caredove’s own guidance is that they must cancel the existing appointment and rebook through the same portal link as linked above, or call the regional number directly rather than trying to modify it online.
What is the Ontario Infant Hearing Program?
It’s a free, province-wide program funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services that screens every newborn in Ontario for hearing loss and follows at-risk children with diagnostic testing and early intervention until age six.
Is there a cost to get my baby screened?
No. Screening with OAE testing, diagnostic assessment using ABR, and early intervention services under the IHP are provided at no charge to families.
How do I book a hearing screening for my baby?
Usually it’s already done in the hospital soon after you give birth. If your newborn happen to have missed it, you can go to the Caredove booking portal directly. Enter your home address and the system will show available screening locations near you.
What happens if my baby doesn't pass the initial screening?
If your baby is under 6 months old, they’re referred directly into the IHP for a diagnostic ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) test — no doctor’s referral needed. If your baby is over 6 months old and a hearing loss is suspected, a physician referral is required first.
How long is the wait for an appointment right now?
Currently about five to seven weeks from the date of booking. There’s no way to expedite or access a private appointment outside this queue.
Why is there a wait, and why is Toronto affected specifically?
Surrey Place, the lead agency delivering the IHP in Toronto (M postal codes), is currently in a labour strike, which has paused normal in-person screening and booking service in the Toronto area.
Do I need to screen my baby twice?
No you do not. According to data, 2 in every 1000 babies born in Ontario suffer from permanent hearing loss. The screening is essential to finding out those that are impacted, but once your newborn passes the screening, permanent hearing loss is off your list.
What's the target timeline for diagnosis and treatment?
Ontario follows the “1-3-6” benchmark: screening by 1 month, diagnosis by 3 months, and intervention started by 6 months corrected age, with the province’s own internal targets tracking slightly later fitting/enrollment milestones by 9 months for confirmed cases.
Does the five-week wait affect my baby's diagnosis timeline?
It may. For a baby needing a first screen or follow-up test, five weeks eats into the 1- and 3-month benchmarks. It would therefore be wise to schedule your appointment and attend them on time rather than waiting for the strike to resolve.
Eason Pun, B.A., CDA, Reg. CDAAC
Marketing Coordinator, Communicative Disorders Assistant
Eason is a Communicative Disorders Assistant (CDA) who holds a unique role at the intersection of clinical healthcare and marketing at Toronto Hearing Services. He also volunteers for the national advocacy group Communicative Disorders Assistant Association of Canada (CDAAC) as their marketing coordinator.
Alongside his hands-on clinical work, Eason draws on two years of public relations experience and nearly a decade of teaching expertise to transform healthcare communication. He leverages his clinical practice, project management, and marketing skills to create educational, evidence-based, and trust-driven content that bridges the gap between complex audiology concepts and community understanding.