Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
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Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
Early Intervention
Closing the Follow-Up Gap: Early Intervention
Early Intervention providers are a crucial part of the EHDI system in Minnesota. The Minnesota EHDI program has a goal that all infants with hearing loss will receive appropriate early intervention services before 6 months of age (medical, audiologic, and Early Intervention).
Additionally, a number of young children who initially passed their newborn hearing screening may still experience hearing loss during early childhood. Continued hearing screening by early intervention providers and follow-up support during the preschool years is crucial to identify these children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Staying up to date on hearing screening skills is important for anyone providing hearing screenings. Child and Teen Checkups Trainings are provided throughout the state to primary care providers, clinic staff, local public health, Head Start, schools and those providing screening children, adolescents, and young adults in Minnesota. These trainings focus on Pure Tone Audiometry and performing risk assessments on child prior to age three.
The following resources are for early interventionists that are supporting a child/children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Help Me Grow
Help Me Grow has many resources for parents, caregivers, and professionals about the development of infants, toddlers, and young children. This includes information and videos on skills to watch for, caregiver strategies that can help support development, family stories, and information about how to get help when there are questions or worries about a child's development.
Children who are deaf or hard of hearing may be eligible to receive free early intervention services through early childhood special education services in their local public school district. A provider from the family’s local district program contacts the family after a referral connection is made through Help Me Grow and works with families of eligible children to make a plan.
Call 866-693-4769 to refer a child directly to Help Me Grow.
Minnesota Department of Education Legislative Report
The Minnesota Department of Education legislative report, Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Minnesota, is a summary of some of the efforts, data, and results of work from education-based agencies, departments, and individuals who serve deaf and hard of hearing students in Minnesota.
Resources: Best Practices Guidelines
National
2019 Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Position Statement
Early Intervention Service Provider Qualifications
The SLP and Early Intervention with Infants and Toddlers with Hearing Loss
A Parent Wish List for Early Interventionists
Part C Eligibility Considerations for Infants and Toddlers Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Education Part C and Part B Resources
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Eligibility Criteria for Special Education (ages 3-21 years)
Early Intervention Best Practice:
Families are encouraged to explore all communication options and receive unbiased support.
Debra Cushner, Julie Mitchiner, Debra Nussbaum: Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, Gallaudet University
"Assessment must be performed by qualified evaluators. Recommendations should be based on results of assessments as they relate to the impact of hearing loss on communication, language, and on academic and social-emotional competency."
-National Association of State Directors of Special Education, Inc. (2006)
"Our early interventionist taught us how to read an audiogram, how to care for hearing aids, how to develop her hearing ability, how to find opportunities to learn language in her everyday routine, and how to effectively use English with our daughter. Our Deaf Mentor took away our fear of what our daughter's life might be like, guided us into the Deaf world, helped us understand Deaf culture, taught us to effectively use American Sign Language, and gave us insight into our daughter's life that helped us love, appreciate and accept her. We believe that we are now equipped to help our daughter have the best of both the Deaf world and the Hearing world. We are so grateful that we had the benefits of both of these wonderful people in our lives."
-Dianne & Ron, Parents of a Daughter with Hearing Loss
Resources: Tools for Improvement
Engage Families as Partners
A Parent's Wish List for Early Interventionists
Making a Plan for Your Child: IFSP Considerations for Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Parent Organizer features the Parent Roadmap and offers more in depth information about hearing loss. Any child living in Minnesota that is newly identified with a hearing loss will receive a printed copy of this organizer.
Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child's Early Interventionist
Sharing Child Information to Coordinate Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Referrals Guide
Connect to Community Resources
Help Me Grow / Early Intervention
State of Minnesota Pediatric Hearing Device Loaner Program
Minnesota Hands & Voices: Resource Directory
Continue Skill Building
Can you explain my child's Audiological Report? (PPT)
NCHAM: Early Intervention Information & Resources Related to EHDI Programs
Glossary of Terms to talk about hearing, causes of hearing loss and hearing aid devices.
Sign It! American Sign Language (ASL) classes online: Would you like to learn American Sign Language (ASL)? If you have a child who is under 36 months of age, apply to get a free innovative on-line curriculum to learn ASL.
Hear To Learn: An interactive resource in English and Spanish, for parents and professionals to support spoken language development.
Cue College: Learn to Cue Online. Cued speech combines simple hand cues with natural mouth movements of speech to make all sounds of spoken language visually clear.
MDH EHDI Benchmarks
Goal: All infants with hearing loss will receive appropriate early intervention services before 6 months of age (medical, audiologic, and Early Intervention).
Indicator 3.6: Percent of infants with a reported congenital permanent confirmed hearing loss who were reported to be enrolled in Part C Early Intervention services within 6 months of birth
Annual percentages:
2019 – 63%
2020 – 50%
2021 – 55%
2022 – 69%
Build family to family relationships
Standardize referral mechanisms
Include communication outcomes in every IFSP
Confirm the hearing status of every child with a related condition
Identify every failed appointment as an opportunity to act and learn