Early Intervention for Children with Hearing Loss

Referral for Early Intervention Services

All Early Intervention Providers who are aware of a child who may be eligible under Part C of IDEA as a result of hearing loss of any degree or type should refer the child and family to the Central Referral Unit. All early intervention services are voluntary and require informed parental consent and notification before services are provided. Referrals should be made to the First Steps CRU using the following form:

• Form 1037: Child and Adolescent Health Referral Form
  Per federal regulations and state policies, referrals should be made as soon as possible, but not later than seven (7) days, after determining an infant, toddler or child is in possible need of services.

Audiological Early Intervention Services

Any changes in hearing status must be reported to the EHDI Program using the following form according to EHDI-MS Procedures:

• Form 53: Hearing Diagnostic Report
  Early Intervention Audiologists must use this form to report the individual hearing diagnostic results for any infant who has a change in hearing status.

Early Communication Options

American Sign Language (ASL)

• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
• Handspeak
• Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center: Resources

Listening and Spoken Language Development

• Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center

Cued Speech

• National Cued Speech Association

Early Intervention Providers for Children with Hearing Loss

The following provide early intervention services for infants and toddlers with hearing loss:

• The Children's Center for Communication and Development (USM)
  CCCD offers individual or small group center-based services in the Hattiesburg area and community-based auditory-verbal services in homes, daycares, or other community settings in the Southern Region.
• Magnolia Speech School
  Magnolia Speech School offers home-based auditory-verbal services statewide through the Parent/Infant program and center-based auditory-oral services in the Jackson area through a Classroom Program.
• Additional Early Interventionists
  The MS First Steps Early Intervention Program contracts with special instructors and speech-language pathologists who have specialized training in working with children with hearing loss.

Additional Resources for Early Intervention Providers

Continuing Education

• EHDI Learning Center
  NCHAM provides e-books, journals, instructional modules, webinars, learning communities, workshops, and more to educate families, health care professionals, and early intervention professionals.
• Hear to Learn
  This website offers a wealth of information for professionals about hearing loss and management including tutorials on topics for hearing loss management, hearing device management, family wellbeing, listening and language, and development of clinical skills.
• Hear to Learn Tutorial: Online Learning Community
  Free monthly webinar series that cover a variety of topics related to the listening and spoken language development of children with hearing loss.
• Preparing to Teach, Committing to Learn: An Introduction to Educating Children Who Are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
  This online introductory text provides an overview of deaf education for professionals and future professionals including a range of topics such as the basics of audiology, the history of deaf education, and services for children birth through post-secondary.

Materials

• SKI-HI Model Curriculum Manual and materials
• Teaching Activities for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Practical Guide for Teachers
  This book describes activities to teach deaf and hard of hearing infants to talk using the philosophy and overall guidelines followed by the Moog Center and Certified Moog Programs.

Resources

• BabyHearing.org
  BabyHearing.org is an informational website developed by a team of Audiologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Teachers of the Deaf, Geneticists, and Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing at Boys Town National Research Hospital with support from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. The following resources are available for health care professionals to use:
  • Guidance on Supporting Families
  • Hearing Aid Verification
  • Parent Education Resources
  • Presentation Resources
• Hearing First
  This website is for family members of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing and Listening and Spoken Language professionals to connect and share your experiences. When you join a Hearing First Community you will receive resources, access to learning experiences, and support from community members to help your child reach their full potential.
• National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM)
  NCHAM serves as the National Technical Resource Center for the implementation and improvement of comprehensive and effective EHDI systems. The goal of this multidisciplinary center 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. Materials and activities described on this website were funded in part by a cooperative agreement (U52MC04391) from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the United States Department of Health and Human Services. NCHAM staff are responsible for the views and content of material on this website and no endorsement by MCHB/HRSA is implied or expressed.

Professional Association and Organizations

• Mississippi Council for Exceptional Children (MS CEC)
  MS CEC is the statewide professional organization and source for information, resources and professional development for special educators.
• Mississippi Division for Early Childhood (MS DEC)
  MS DEC is the statewide subdivision affiliated with the national Division for Early Childhood (DEC) supporting young children with special needs and their families.
• Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSHA)
  MSHA is the statewide professional organization for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, parents/caregivers, support personnel, and students.