HEAR Program Is a Collaboration of ASHA,
Bright by Text, and HATCH Lab
ROCKVILLE, Md.,
May 6,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new text messaging program
announced today by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
(ASHA), Bright by Text, and the Helping Adults Talk to Children
(HATCH) Lab at Idaho State University
will put trusted information into the hands of families with
children who have—or may have—hearing loss.
A hearing loss diagnosis can be scary,
overwhelming, and isolating for parents of infants and
toddlers.
In the United States, 3 out of
every 1,000 babies are born with a detectable level of hearing loss
in one or both ears. More than 90% of deaf children are born to
parents who hear, which can make the news of a hearing loss very
unexpected. It is critical that all families with a child who is
deaf or hard of hearing have access to clear, accurate information
that explains the communication options for their child and how
they can best support their child's development.
"A hearing loss diagnosis can be scary, overwhelming, and
isolating for parents of infants and toddlers—particularly if
hearing loss doesn't run in the family," said Tena McNamara, AuD, CCC-A/SLP, 2024 ASHA
President. "But there are ways to mitigate that. Through this new
program, we hope to empower parents with information; connect them
to professionals and peers for services and support; and help them
to feel confident about the future for their child and family."
"We are so proud to partner with ASHA and HATCH Lab on this new
program," said Jodie Fishman, MPH,
Chief Content Officer for Bright by Text. "Our goal is to give all
children the brightest possible start, and with these messages, we
aim to help families feel more secure in their choices and better
prepared to raise a child with hearing challenges."
Hearing Loss in Young Children
Hearing loss in
children can result from a variety of causes, including genetics,
infections during pregnancy, or atypical ear anatomy. It can range
in degree from mild to profound—and can occur in one ear or
both.
Nearly all children in the United
States receive a newborn hearing screening at birth.
However, not all children who do not pass their newborn hearing
screening get the needed follow-up testing and/or services. In
fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1
in 4 of these infants are missed due to "loss to follow-up," when
an infant needs a recommended service but does not receive it, or
"loss to documentation," when an infant receives services but the
information is not reported to the state. Moreover, some children
aren't born with hearing loss but acquire it months or years
later—from infections or illnesses, exposure to loud noise, or
other causes. Consequently, it is important for families to be
attuned to the signs of hearing loss at all ages, even if a child
passed their newborn hearing screen.
Left unaddressed in infants and toddlers, hearing loss (even a
mild hearing loss) can lead to delays in speech, language, and
cognitive development. From birth to age 3, brain and communication
development are fostered by exposure to language, including spoken
and signed languages. If a child has an unknown or unaddressed
hearing loss, they may miss out on some to all of that language
during a critical period of development. Studies have shown that
children identified at birth with hearing loss who begin receiving
early intervention services before they are 6 months of age often
develop language (spoken or signed) on par with peers who have
typical hearing.
HEAR Program
Bright by Text delivers actionable information from trusted
early childhood experts to more than 250,000 parents and caregivers
of children, prenatally through age 8, across the United States. Bright by Text's free text
messages, tailored to a child's exact age and the family's zip
code, are proven to build nurturing caregiver–child relationships,
strengthen families, promote a child's healthy development, and
improve school readiness.
The HEAR program is a specialty track within Bright by Text's
larger network, specifically designed for families of children ages
birth to 3 years with suspected or confirmed hearing loss. Messages
are a mix of information and encouragement, delivered once per week
for 6 months. The program is available in English and Spanish.
"The HEAR program is special because these messages were
co-created by clinical experts—representing audiology,
speech-language pathology, and pediatrics—and families who have
'been there,'" noted Kristina
Blaiser, PhD, CCC-SLP, Director of the HATCH Lab. "I believe
families will find the messages tremendously valuable."
To subscribe to the HEAR program, text HEAR to 274-448.
Media Contact:
Francine Pierson
301-296-8715
fpierson@asha.org
View original
content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-texting-program-helps-families-navigate-a-hearing-loss-diagnosis-in-infants-and-toddlers-302136083.html
SOURCE American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)