Hearing First, an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation, shares results from Year Five of the campaign dedicated to educating expectant moms about newborn hearing and next steps after failed screening.
PHILADELPHIA, April 15, 2026 – Hearing First—an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation dedicated to supporting families and professionals so children with hearing loss have the opportunity to learn to listen, talk, read, and thrive—shared the latest report from the Starts Hear awareness campaign. Starts Hear is a public health awareness campaign informing expectant parents about the importance of the newborn hearing screening (NHS) and what to do in the event of a failed screening.
Despite widespread newborn hearing screenings taking place, CDC data shows that more than one-third of infants who do not pass the screening either do not receive recommended follow-up care, or the information is not reported to the state. Since 2021, Starts Hear has been reaching parents directly, empowering them to act quickly to schedule a follow-up hearing screening.
“Research shows that hearing is critical to a baby’s brain development and is the foundation for listening, spoken language, and literacy,” said Dr. Teresa Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, CEO of the Oberkotter Foundation. “Families should feel prepared to take the next steps when their baby does not pass a newborn hearing screening, especially during such a critical window for development. Yet too many babies are not receiving the timely follow-up care they need."
The Starts Hear campaign is designed to reach expectant and new parents where they are, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to act quickly so their babies can benefit from the sounds of speech from the very beginning.Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO
With key messages that focus on newborn hearing screening (NHS), the importance of hearing for early development, and the critical next steps following a failed screening, the Starts Hear campaign has played an important role in increasing awareness among expectant and new parents.
In its fifth year, the campaign continued to evolve with new strategies and expanded outreach, creating more opportunities to connect with new and expectant parents at pivotal moments:
- Expanded BabyCenter en Español campaign messages to reach more Spanish-speaking moms.
- Expert Q&A Videos appeared on Instagram and YouTube in partnership with The Bump.
- Launched a Hearing Hub on BabyCenter that included a curated collection of articles, videos, and resources for families to learn about the importance of newborn hearing and urgent follow-up.
Over five years, Starts Hear has achieved significant impact:
- 1.2+ Billion total ad views
- 506+ Million video views
- 2.4+ Million visits to StartsHear.org
Based on today’s science and technological advancements, the future is bright for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) outcomes are not only possible, but probable, with early diagnosis, amplification, and intervention.
By reaching parents before their babies are born, the Starts Hear campaign continues to shape the earliest stages of the hearing loss journey—helping families take timely, informed action when it matters most.
To learn more about the Starts Hear campaign and download the Year Five Report, visit hearingfirst.org/starts-hear-awareness-campaign.
About Hearing First
Hearing First, an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation, helps caring adults provide infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing with the same listening, spoken language, and literacy opportunities as their hearing peers through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). Hearing First offers free educational resources and online learning experiences for families of children with hearing loss and professionals who seek to advance their LSL knowledge and understanding. With two online communities, the Families of Children with Hearing Loss Facebook Group and the Professional Learning Community, Hearing First also helps members connect with other adults who share their same experience. The Oberkotter Foundation is a private foundation supporting opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to learn to listen and talk for nearly 40 years.
