Setting Language in Motion: Family Supports and Early Intervention for Babies Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Module 1 - Early Identification: Newborn/Infant Hearing Screening and Evaluation and the Importance of Ensuring Early Access to Language

Module 1 focuses on providing a foundation of knowledge regarding both the screening and evaluation of hearing in infants and toddlers. Babies' brains are inherently wired for acquiring language.

In Module 1, you will:  

  • learn about the "1-3-6" rule of the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening process,
  • develop an understanding that babies who are both identified early and receive early intervention support will have significant advantages in their language and communication development, and
  • learn about the developmental milestones for monitoring language progress and growth.

Downloadable resources and additional information are provided at the bottom of this module web page.

Sections

 

Module 1 - ASL: Early Identification

Module Materials

Related Assets
About the Author

Terrell A. Clark, PhD, is the director of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Boston Children’s Hospital.

About the Actor

ASL actor Katrina Aristy is also a teacher in deaf education.

Tips for Ensuring Early Access to Language

Supports Module 1: Offers tips for ensuring early access to language.

Early Intervention Network: Supporting Linguistic Competence for Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

This on-line network shares five evidence-based factors and supporting program components shown to be essential for the development of linguistic competence in children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Various programs implementing these factors from throughout the country are highlighted. There are many resources for promoting both visual and spoken language development.

Hands & Voices: Communication Considerations

Supports Module 1: Communication Considerations A to Z™ is a series from Hands & Voices that's designed to help families and the professionals working with them access information and further resources to assist them in raising and educating children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Early Intervention Webcast

Dr. Beth Benedict, professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Gallaudet University and coordinator of Gallaudet's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program, shares information about what research is telling us about the importance of early intervention, how the field is evolving, and what professionals in the field can do to make a difference.

ASHA: Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Supports Module 1: Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) refers to the practice of screening every newborn for hearing loss prior to hospital discharge.

ASHA: Early Detection of Speech, Language, and Hearing Disorders

Supports Module 1: Speech-language pathologists and audiologists can help your infant or toddler who has a speech, language, or hearing disorder.

CDC: EHDI Annual Data

Supports Module 1: EHDI annual data is collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

NAD: Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Supports Module 1: Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs exist in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

NCHAM

Supports Module 1: NCHAM serves as the National Resource Center for the implementation and improvement of comprehensive and effective Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) systems. As a multidisciplinary Center, our goal 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.

NCHAM: EHDI E-Book

Supports Module 1: NCHAM: A Resource Guide for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention