The number of children with hearing loss doubles during early childhood--from approximately 3 in 1000 at birth to 6 in 1000 by school age. Providing hearing screening during the early language-learning years is critical for helping more children receive the benefits of early identification and intervention.
Hearing Screening Program Development
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- Screening Methods
- Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Screening is recommended for all children 0 – 3 years of age. It is also appropriate for many children over 3 who are unable to follow instructions and complete tasks required for Pure Tone Audiometric Screening. Pure Tone Screening has traditionally been recommended for children over 3 years of age who can follow instructions and complete screening tasks. Talk with your local pediatric audiologist about which method, or methods, are optimal for the population you serve.
The Early Childhood Hearing Outreach (ECHO) Initiative is focused on extending the benefits of periodic hearing screening to young children in a variety of health and education settings. The ECHO Initiative is part of the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management at Utah State University and serves Early Head Start/Head Start programs as the National Resource Center on Early Hearing Detection and Intervention. Our goals are to ensure that early childhood education and health care providers have:
- Instructional modules and resources for screening children 0 – 3 years of age (OAE is the recommended method). Watch a 1-minute video demonstration or read a brief description [PDF].
- Instructional modules and resources for screening children 3 - 5 years of age (considerations in choosing [PDF] the OAE or Pure Tone method).
Take a quick video tour of the website.
Learn more about the ECHO Initiative, meet the ECHO Team and read published articles or newsletters.
Ask the experts! Take a look at our resources and contact us for more information or assistance.
New! Expand Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) services [PDF] for children 0-3
Interactive Learning Opportunities (Upcoming and previously recorded)
Access New Training Resources for Implementing Evidence-based Pure Tone Hearing Screening with Children 3 – 5 Years of Age On-Demand Webinar Coffee Break Webinar
Documentation and Tracking: Essential Elements for Implementing Evidence-based Hearing Screening and Follow-up Practices with Children Birth to Five Years of Age, On-Demand Webinar