Many of you subscribe to the Zero to Three Journal and we'd like to draw your attention to the recent January issue and article entitled Hearing Screening Followup: Completing the Process to Identify Hearing Health Needs.  

We are pleased to share with a wide readership that children's hearing health needs can be identified and addressed when screening programs adhere to an evidence-based follow-up protocol that includes referral to health care providers and specialists. Because follow-up is key, screening is best understood and undertaken as a process rather than as a single event or activity. This makes Early Head Start providers especially well positioned for integrating hearing screening and follow-up into an overall care plan for children 0 - 3 years of age.    

Our experience in early childhood settings suggests that about 25% of children do not pass the initial Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) hearing screening, so these infants/toddlers will need a second OAE screening in about two weeks. The smaller number of children who still do not pass the OAE screening will need to be seen by a health care provider who can check for treatable outer and middle ear conditions. When common problems, such as ear infections, have been resolved, an Early Head Start screener can then conduct an OAE rescreen.

Most children will pass the screening at one of the steps described above, but the few who do not must be promptly referred to a pediatric audiologist for a comprehensive evaluation. These children are at high risk for having a permanent hearing loss. Early identification and intervention is crucial in helping them develop their capacity to communicate and learn.