Some babies with perfect hearing don't seem to notice noises around them. If your baby sleeps through the phone ringing and the dog barking, don't worry. It's unlikely to mean that her hearing is affected. She probably just needs her sleep.
If you want to test your baby's hearing for yourself, the best time to do it is when she's wide awake and alert. Here are a few quick tests you can do:
If your baby is under three months, clap your hands behind her head. If she startles, she's fine. If she doesn't, repeat the claps a few times (NHS 2008).
If your baby is a bit older, between four and six months, she should have some head control. Call her name to see if she turns towards you or reacts to your voice. She might also turn her eyes or head to look for an interesting sound. As hearing and talking are linked, by four months your baby should start to make cooing sounds and other noises (NHS 2008).
Between six and 10 months, your baby should respond to her name and familiar sounds, such as the ringing of the phone or the roar of the vacuum cleaner, or even quiet noises if she’s not occupied with other things (NHS 2008).
Between 10 and 15 months, she should be able to point to a familiar object in a picture book when asked, and react when you say her name. She may even notice quieter sounds coming from another room, and may respond to an expression such as "bye bye", even when no gestures are used (NHS 2008).
If your baby doesn't respond to any of these tests, or if you’re not certain and want a second opinion, talk to your doctor or health visitor. It is likely to be only a temporary loss caused by a cold (NHS 2009a). Or she may simply be too engrossed in something else to take notice.
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