Hearing Loss

The American Society for Deaf Children supports and educates parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Universal newborn hearing screening is a component of the NY EHDI program. NYS Public Health Law requires all maternity hospitals and birthing centers to administer newborn hearing screening programs. Parents are given information about newborn hearing screening prior to the screening. Then shortly after birth, the baby's hearing is screened and parents are given the result. If a baby does not pass the initial hearing screening, he/she may be re-screened prior to discharge. If the baby cannot be re-screened before discharge, or does not pass re-screening, the parents will be given a prescription for their baby to have an outpatient screening and a list of qualified infant hearing screeners. If the infant fails a second screening, the baby is referred for a full diagnostic hearing assessment. If hearing loss is detected, the infant is referred to the NYS Early Intervention Program for appropriate intervention services.

Hands & Voices is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to supporting families and their children who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as the professionals who serve them. We are a parent-driven, parent/professional collaborative group that is unbiased towards communication modes and methods. Our diverse membership includes those who are deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing impaired and their families who communicate orally, with signs, cue, and/or combined methods. We exist to help our children reach their highest potential.

Hearing loss can affect a child's ability to develop communication, language, and social skills. The earlier children with hearing loss start getting services, the more likely they are to reach their full potential. If you are a parent and you suspect your child has hearing loss, trust your instincts and speak with your child's doctor. Don't wait!

Babyhearing.org is brought to you by a team of professionals at Boys Town National Research Hospital. The great majority of children who are identified with a hearing loss are born to hearing parents. In most cases there is no history of hearing loss in the family, and most know no other families in the same situation. This often leaves parents feeling very alone, and many find themselves searching out others who understand what they are going through. The goal of this section is to link parents to other parents who have walked in their shoes and have agreed to share their stories, experience, expertise, and advice.

The goal of the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM - pronounced "en-cham") at Utah State University is to ensure that all infants and toddlers with hearing loss are identified as early as possible and provided with timely and appropriate audiological, educational, and medical intervention.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) is one of the Institutes that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIDCD conducts and support s biomedical and behavioral research and training in the processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language. The Institute also addresses special biomedical and behavioral problems associated with people who have communication impairments or disorders; and supports efforts to create devices which substitute for lost and impaired sensory and communication function.