6 - Before SIX Months of Age: Early Intervention
Early intervention
Many decisions will need to be made and it is important to know which professional is best prepared to answer questions and provide helpful information. These professionals may include:
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South Dakota Birth to Three Service Coordinator - A professional who provides organization for the early intervention team and focuses on ensuring a family's needs are being met
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South Dakota School for the Deaf Outreach Consultant - A professional that provides information to families on hearing level, assistive technology, language development, and communication options
- Pediatric Audiologist - a professional who specializes in testing the hearing of babies and children and can recommend hearing instruments and options
- Speech-Language Pathologist - a professional who specializes in speech and speech development
- Otolaryngologist - a professional who specializes in problems of the ear, nose, and throat; also called an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor
- Pediatrician or Family Practitioner - a doctor who provides primary health care for babies and children
The main goal of these professionals is to work together to limit the effects of hearing loss on the baby's development. Appropriate services must begin as soon as possible, preferably before six months of age, so speech and language development is not delayed. These delays can negatively impact a child's social and emotional growth and academic achievement.
Resources
- Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- American Society of Deaf Children
- BEGINNINGS for Parents of Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Inc.
- Better Hearing Institute
- Harvard Medical School Center for Hereditary Deafness
- Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
- MedlinePlus
- My Baby's Hearing
- National Association of the Deaf
- National Cued Speech Association
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
- Newborn Hearing Screening: What, When and Why
- South Dakota Department of Education (SD DOE) Birth to Three Early Intervention Program
- South Dakota Department of Human Services (SD DHS)
- South Dakota Department of Social Services (SD DSS)
- South Dakota Parent Connection
- South Dakota School for the Deaf (SDSD)
- University of South Dakota (USD) Center for Disabilities
- University of South Dakota (USD) Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders
- Universal Newborn Hearing Screening, Diagnosis and Intervention - A Roadmap for Families
Above are links to agencies, organizations, and other websites that provide information, services, and resources of interest to the deaf and hard of hearing and to their families. The South Dakota Department of Health exercises no control over the content of these sites and provides the links for informational purposes only. This information is not a substitute for medical care.