January, 2014    

Probes & Tips header
Upcoming Events

ECHO Initiative 
Introductory Webinar 
for EHS Programs:

Tuesday, January 14th
12:00 p.m. EST

Please plan to join us to
get acquainted with OAE screening and learn about establishing an effective
hearing screening protocol
for your program


Register Here 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *    

ECHO Initiative
Follow-up Webinar
for EHS Programs
currently conducting
OAE screening

Tuesday, January 21st
12:00 p.m. EST

Please plan to join us for an opportunity to re-examine effective OAE program practices and to reflect on your own OAE screening experience.

 
New to
OAE Screening? 

If your program is new to OAE screening,
or if you have added new staff who need
instruction on OAE
screening practices,
visit our
 where staff can view instructional video
modules and access the corresponding
resources. 


Quick Links

 

Find more helpful hints from previous issues of

 Probes and Tips 

and many other
resources at:  

 www.kidshearing.org 


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Join Our Mailing List  

 

Tip of the Month
A New Year's Commitment to Hearing Screening 

 

As we enter into 2014, it is worth reflecting on how the hearing screening that each of you are engaged in serves children and families all across the country.

 

 

The story below, provided by one newsletter reader, exemplifies the work that is happening in hundreds of Early Head Start (EHS) programs every day:  

 

An 18-month-old girl of a young mother was enrolled in our EHS program.  Although no developmental concerns were documented at intake, the classroom teachers soon noted that the child's language and ability to follow directions seemed delayed.  Conversation with the state Newborn Hearing Screening program coordinator revealed that this child had not passed the newborn screening and had subsequently been lost to follow-up.   Although a review of the child's medical record did not reflect a problem (the doctor having recorded hearing as "normal", possibly based in parent report) the need for immediate action was evident when the child did not pass our otoacoustic emissions (OAE) hearing screening or the rescreen conducted a week later.    

 

With our help, referral to Early Intervention and to a local audiologist was completed and based on the audiologist's finding, further referral to a hospital 75 miles away to have an ABR test was required. We again worked with the mom around transportation issues and the importance of completing this appointment.  The testing confirmed that this child had a moderate, bilateral hearing loss.  

 

The local Early Intervention program was able to come into the EHS classroom to do the evaluation. A service coordination meeting was held to support the family around the testing results.  A local hearing consultant was also called in to support the family and caregivers. It was decided that this child would be best placed at a local preschool program housed at a center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing where she could be with peers to learn sign language as well as receive speech and language therapy.  

 

In this example, we see how an EHS program played a critical role in the life of a child and family.   The state's Newborn Hearing Screening program (also known as the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention [EHDI] program) had been unable to follow up on the newborn screening results because the family had relocated. The child's doctor was unable to detect the hearing loss because no objective hearing screening was administered.  Thus, the commitment of the EHS program to providing OAE hearing screening and prompt follow-up, their relationship with their State EHDI program, as well as their relationship with a local audiologist and the Early Intervention program in the community, made all the difference in getting a child the servicesProbe Insertion that will potentially change her life.   

 

In the coming year, the ECHO Initiative remains committed to doing all that we can to support the  important work that you do! 

Probe of the Month
  Let us know what you would like to read about in the coming newsletters by writing to us at:  

 

  [email protected]    

   

And, as always, share www.KidsHearing.org with anyone you think would benefit from our resources.     

 ECHO - Headstart



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Probes and Tips is a newsletter from the ECHO Initiative that provides monthly TIPS

to enhance early childhood hearing screening and follow-up practices and PROBES

 about current activities so we can learn from one another's successes and challenges.