If you've learned that your child is deaf or hard of hearing, we understand that you
may have many questions and concerns about what resources are available to your family.
member of your team. This person tracks your baby's hearing levels over time and uses special
technology to fit, program, and adjust hearing aids and cochlear implants. Your family will
also be referred to an Ear, Nose and Throat physician also called an Otolaryngologist.
Your physician may request further tests to determine the cause of your child's hearing loss
and make recommendations for your child's medical treatment, such as providing medical clearance for
hearing aids, or referring to a cochlear implant team. Your child's Ear, Nose and Throat physician
and your audiologist follow your child's hearing needs from infancy through adulthood.
An old proverb states it takes a village to raise a child. Your child will be surrounded by a team
of professionals, who will work closely with your family, to ensure that your child's needs
are met. Depending on your family's goals and your child's personal needs, you may not work with
every team member indicated in this video. One of the first persons that your family may meet is the
Service Coordinator. This person works with the early intervention programs in your community and
will help you connect with educational programs, support services, and community resources.
Sometimes many professionals become involved in your child's care. Your service coordinator works
closely with you and your team to help develop and implement an individual family service plan.
Next your family will be assigned a Family Infant Specialist. Family Infant Specialists may have
a variety of backgrounds such as, Teacher of the Deaf, Speech Language Pathologist,
or Early Childhood Specialist. Often this is someone who has been specifically trained in early
education and has experience working with families who have a child who is deaf or hard of hearing.
Your Family Infant Specialist will work with you to develop an individual family service plan
based on your needs and your child's strengths and current development. The plan outlines
your child's developmental needs and establishes milestone goals for the first three years of life,
including areas such as auditory skills, physical skills, cognitive or thinking skills,
communication skills, social and emotional skills, as well as independence. It's really
important for your family to have a partnership with the Family Infant Specialist. You know more
about your child than any professional but by partnering with a Family Infant Specialist,
you can join your knowledge and skills to benefit your child. During home visits your Family
Infant Specialist will observe you play naturally with your child. Rather than working directly with
your child, this professional will support and coach you with ideas for promoting your
child's development during your everyday routines like diapering, feeding, and playing together.
Depending on your family's communication goals, your team may include a Speech Language
Pathologist or a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist, who works on developing listening,
talking, and learning words and concepts. Some professionals are also skilled
in sign language. If your Early Intervention Specialist does not offer sign, your service
coordinator may be able to assist your family in finding the appropriate resource as needed.
Families may choose to work with a teacher who has specialized training in educating children
who are deaf or hard of hearing. A Teacher of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing, has in-depth
understanding of ways to promote listening, language learning, and communication access.
Sometimes children who are deaf or hard of hearing
have additional developmental needs like a vision impairment, or motor or balance challenges.
Additional professionals can help identify these special needs, address family and child
challenges, and provide support to you along the way. Your Service Coordinator and team members
will help you find additional specialists to complement your individual family service plan
and enhance your child's development. 95 percent of children born deaf or hard of hearing
have hearing parents. It's important for you to understand that you are not alone in this journey.
Support can come in many forms such as sitting down with a good friend and just talking,
but most families tell us that opportunities to interact with other families who have deaf
or hard of hearing children is especially meaningful. Some national family to family
support networks include organizations like Hands and Voices, Alexander Graham Bell Association,
and The American Society for Deaf Children.
Contact your Service Coordinator for information on local support groups in your own community.
Another helpful resource is babyhearing.org. This is a comprehensive website that was specifically
designed for parents of children who have recently been identified as deaf or hard of hearing. This
site offers detailed information on topics like hearing loss, amplification and listening devices,
parent-to-parent support groups, and parent trainings. It also further outlines each member
of your family's early intervention team. Nebraska parents can contact the Early Development Network.
This network provides comprehensive information on services for your family. Parents can also
look to Boys Town National Research Hospital for information and resources on hearing evaluations,
listening devices, speech and language development, research studies, preschool,
and parent education and support. We hope this video has helped answer your questions
about the many early intervention services available for your child.
Every team member plays an important role in your child's journey. By working together,
you and your team will find the right programs and services for your child's needs and your
family goals. For additional information and resources please visit boystownhospital.org and
babyhearing.org