Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
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Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
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How to build your child's care team
A child will see many doctors and specialty care providers when they are identified as deaf and hard of hearing. A child's primary care provider will help coordinate care among their primary care team, specialists, and community partners to make sure their needs are being met.
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Make a referral to get connected with free early intervention supports through your local school district.
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All children identified as deaf and hard of hearing should be offered evaluations by an audiologist; ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor; ophthalmologist; and geneticist. They should also be referred to educational professionals through Help Me Grow or Early Head Start. Children might be referred to a speech-language pathologist or local public health nurse for connection to additional local resources. Learn more about these providers below.
An audiologist is a licensed medical professional who can evaluate, diagnose and manage hearing loss and balance disorders. Audiologists use specialized techniques to check hearing in infants and children. They can recommend appropriate hearing devices, if chosen. Families might work with audiologists at their clinic and at their school.
Pediatric otolaryngologists diagnose and treat conditions affecting the ears, nose, and throat. They provide medical and surgical management and medical clearance for hearing devices, if chosen. They should participate in the long-term monitoring of a child's hearing.
An ophthalmologist is a doctor who specializes in eyes and vision care and can check for vision disorders (for example: Usher syndrome or cataracts). Children who are deaf and hard of hearing often rely on their vision. It is important to know how your child can see and take steps to protect your child's eyesight when possible.
A geneticist, along with genetic counselors, can talk to families about the possibility of a genetic cause of hearing loss, possibility of worsening hearing loss, and associated medical conditions that might need further evaluation (for example: vision, heart, or kidney).
- Find a Genetic Counselor
- A Parent's Guide to Genetics and Hearing Loss (PDF) (English) (Español)
- Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child's Genetics Team (PDF)
Refer a Child Through Help Me Grow
Children who are deaf or hard of hearing may be eligible to receive free early intervention services through their local public school district. Once connected through Help Me Grow, the local school district will send a teacher or provider who specializes in working with children who have hearing differences. The provider will partner with the family to make sure their child's educational needs are met and will work around their schedule. Early Intervention is so important that the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Minnesota Department of Health recommend connecting all children who are deaf and hard of hearing to Early Intervention. Healthcare providers often make this referral for families, or families can self-refer.Help Me Grow has many resources for parents and caregivers 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.
- Find an Early Head Start Program Near You
Early Head Start programs promote school readiness by strengthening the development of children from low-income families through health education, nutrition, social-emotional, and other services to family members.
A speech-language pathologist (SLP), sometimes called a speech therapist, is a professional trained to test and work with children with speech and language challenges. The SLP will help your family decide the best therapy approach for your child.
- Find a Local Health Department or Community Health Board
Local public health departments can help families find community services that support children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Nurses who specialize in EHDI are located at local health departments throughout the state and help families with screening, rescreening, or diagnostic appointments. These nurses can also answer questions related to financial resources available to families.
Resources and providers on this list should not be considered an endorsement of any kind from MDH. MDH does not recommend one provider over another. Each family has different needs, and it is our goal to provide as many options as possible.