May, 2015     

Probes & Tips header
ECHO Initiative 
Upcoming Events
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Live Webinars

Mini Coffee Break Webinar:

Introduction to Evidence-Based Hearing Screening Practices
for Children 0-3 Years of Age

 

Thursday, May 21st, 2015

3:00 p.m. Eastern 

Register Here

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Look for us at the:

Region VII Head Start Association Annual Leadership Conference

"Updating Hearing Screening Practices for Children 0-3"  

June 3, 2015
 
1:30 pm central



(registration required) 
      
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ECHO Initiative
Links to Recorded Webinars:

If you've missed any of
our previous webinars,
you can now click on the links below to watch a recorded   
version of these
webinars:  

  

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
Contribute Hearing Screening Results
 to Each Child's Medical Home Girl being screened

May is Better Hearing & Speech month and your hearing screening efforts can make a significant contribution to the information collected and maintained as a part of each child's Medical Home record.  When a child does not pass the hearing screening, other professionals who are part of the child's Medical Home will need to be made aware so that a diagnostic evaluation can be promptly completed.  It is also valuable to share the screening results of the majority of children who DO pass the hearing screening.  

 

Periodic hearing screening can contribute to:

  • Baseline data documenting a child's health over time. If developmental delays or other problems arise, a hearing screening history contributes to timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment. 
  • A complete description of a child, including abilities, strengths and challenges. A child's relationship to the world of sound is an essential aspect of a developmental profile. 

Most health care providers do not have the Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) equipment needed to screen the hearing of children 0 - 3 years of age.  In the absence of objective, periodic screening, hearing loss is likely to remain an "invisible condition" either missed completely or misdiagnosed.  

 

By integrating quality hearing screening into health services, early childhood education providers contribute in a positive way to children's language, cognitive and social-emotional development. While Early Head Start staff typically refer children not passing the OAE screening to health care providers for further outer/middle ear evaluation, many overlook the value of routinely sharing "passing" screening results on the majority of children who do not need follow-up.  To communicate this vital information, we've created a new Pass Letter to Partner Health Care Providers template.  Modify and use this template letter so that your hearing screening efforts can be recognized as a significant contribution to each child's Medical Home record.    
Probe of the Month
Have you found an effective way to communicate hearing screening outcomes to health care providers so that the results are integrated into each child's Medical Home record and profile?

Let us know 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.