If a child or adult fails a hearing screening, what is the recommended next step?

• A. Re-screen in 14-21 days.
• B. Schedule an MRI of the brain.
• C. Use a hearing aid immediately.
• D. Ignore the result if there are no symptoms.

Answer: (A)

Failing a hearing screening means there could be a problem, but a screening isn’t diagnostic. The best next step is to re-screen in about 14–21 days. This gives time for any temporary factors to clear (like earwax, fluid in the middle ear, or testing conditions) and helps determine if the issue persists. If the re-screen is still failed, a full diagnostic evaluation by a professional is indicated to assess the degree and type of hearing loss and plan next steps. The other options aren’t appropriate here: imaging isn’t the immediate follow-up for a screening result, a hearing aid is a treatment after confirming a loss, and ignoring the result could miss a real condition.