Four to six out of every 1,000 babies born have some degree of hearing
loss. Hearing loss affects a baby's language development. Appropriate
support and services can help a child with hearing loss to learn language.
The early years are the most important for language development. Early
identification ensures that a child with hearing loss receives services
during this critical time.
The Enhanced Child Find Through Universal Newborn Hearing Screening
project is a model demonstration project designed to provide support
and education on newborn hearing screening to couples awaiting the births
of their babies. The project also provides support and education to
families of babies who have had a newborn hearing screening and who
have been referred for follow-up hearing testing and/ or on to early
intervention.
Specific information and support provided to families and service providers
includes:
- Newborn hearing screening process
- Follow-up audiological testing
- Listening devices
- Communication options
- Early intervention services available through the Birth to Three
Program
Informational materials in the form of booklets and videotapes are
available for both parents and service providers to learn more about
the newborn hearing screening process, audiological testing, communication
options, and early intervention services. The project also maintains
a parent-to-parent network of support that allows trained "veteran"
parents to help "new" parents as they move from the newborn
screening to the follow-up hearing test and early intervention services.
The Enhanced Child Find Through Universal Newborn Hearing Screening
project uses a variety of strategies to meet program goals. They include
the following:
- Print and Video Materials - Booklets and videos describing newborn
hearing screening and the importance of early detection of hearing
impairment and early intervention are distributed in several ways.
Staff visit hospitals, pediatric practices, OB/GYN practices, audiologists,
and parent groups to discuss the importance of newborn hearing screening
and early intervention and distribute written materials and videos.
- Parent to Parent Support - Project staff recruit parents of hearing
impaired children to assist in providing support to families whose
children are referred for further audiology assessment after a hearing
screen. These families are trained on the use of a parent to parent
model of support, services coordination, and follow up. Families whose
children are referred for further evaluation after a hearing screen
are offered the assistance of an experienced parent to help with the
transition from the hospital to home and to additional evaluations.
If needed, the "veteran" parents are available to provide support
through subsequent follow-up services (for hearing aids, etc.) and
the transition into early intervention Birth to Three services. Parent
to parent support is provided to families in their primary language.
Products and technical support services
- Videotape and booklet describing the newborn hearing screening process,
follow-up hearing testing, and early parent-child communication -
The videotape and booklet are designed for families to review prior
to the births of their babies and are disseminated through birthing
classes and OB-GYN and midwife offices. The videotape is also available
for viewing on closed circuit hospital television channels.
- Videotape designed for families whose baby have been identified
as being deaf or hard of hearing. This resource offers unbiased information
regarding various listening devices and communication options available
to families. The videotape and booklet also describe the early intervention
programs at the American School for the Deaf, CREC Soundbridge, and
NECHEAR, the three programs available through the Connecticut Birth
to Three system for children with a hearing loss.
Project staff:
Project Director - Mary Beth Bruder, Ph.D.
Project coordinator - Lynda Cook Pletcher M.Ed
Research Assistant - Kristina Gonzalez, Parent
Video Production Coordinator - Marjorie D. Jung, M.S., CCC-A, FAAA
Contact information:
Lisa Honigfeld, Ph.D.
University of Connecticut
A.J. Pappanikou Center for
Developmental Disabilities
263 Farmington, CT 06030
Phone: (860) 679-1530
Fax: (860) 679-1571
E-mail: honigfeld@uchc.edu
web site: http://www.uconnced.org/nhs/nhshome.htm
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