month check-up t any time Hearing screening If baby has a ... · Audiologist: The person who tests...

Hearing screening If baby has a hearing loss what happens now?

month check-up t any time

•AquickcheckbyaHearingScreener*tofindoutaboutyourbaby’shearing.

•Screeningmaybedoneinthehospitalorcommunity.

•Screeningmaytakemorethanoneappointmenttocomplete.

•AskyourCommunityHealthNurseformoreinformationabouthearingscreening.

First Steps• YoucanworkwithanEarlyCommunicationSpecialist*(earlycommunicationspecialistmayalsobecalledearlyinterventionist).

•TheEarlyCommunicationSpecialistcanshareideas,encouragingyourbaby’searlycommunicationdevelopment.

•YoumayalsofindithelpfultohaveanAboriginalInfantDevelopmentConsultant*involved.

Ongoing• YoucancontinuetomeetwiththeEarlyCommunicationSpecialistforsupportandinformation(abouthearingloss,helpingbabylearntocommunicate,choicestoconsider).

•Youmayhavemoreappointmentswithaudiologists(mayincludefurthertesting,andhearingaidservices,includingearmolds*).

•TheEarlyCommunicationSpecialist,theaudiologist,andotherpeoplewhosupportyouwillhelpyouwatchyourbaby’sdevelopmentandshareideasandinformation.

•Youwillcontinuetolearnnewwaystohelpyourbabycommunicateanddevelop.

•Youandyourearlysupportteamwillcontinuetowatchyourbaby’sprogressinallareas.

•Yourbaby’sserviceandsupportplanwillbereviewedeverysixmonthsandchangesmadeasneeded.

•Youandyourbabymaycontinuetoseeyouraudiologistforhearingtestingandhearingequipmentservices.

x Changinghowoftenyouandyourearlycommunicationspecialistmeet

x Tryingdifferentapproachestobetteraccommodatebaby’sdevelopment

x Reviewingyourbaby’shearingequipment-isitworkingproperly?Howoftenisitused?

x OthersupportsavailabletoyourbabyandfamilysuchastheSunnyHillHearingLossTeam*ortheWell-BeingProgram*

•Thisisanimportantcheck-up.

• The21monthcheckgivesyouandyourearlysupportteaminformationtomakedecisions.Thisisimportantifyouandyourteamhaveconcerns.

• Ifyourbabyorfamilyrequireadditionalsupports,youandyourteammayconsider:

• Ifyourbaby’shearingscreeningresultsareunclear,anAudiologist*

willdomorehearingtesting.

• Ifyouwish,theaudiologistwillsharetheresultswithyourCommunityHealthNurse,CommunityHealthRep.orothercommunitysupportworkers.

• Ifyourbabyisatriskforhearinglosslaterinlife,youcantakeyourbabyforregularchecksatPublicHealthHearingclinics.

•AnEarlyCommunicationCoordinator*willcontactyoutoansweranyquestionsabouthearinglossandearlycommunication.

•TheCoordinatorwillhelpyoutofindservicesthatwillhelpyouandyourbaby.

• Ifyouwish,theCoordinatorwillalsoworkwithyourCommunityHealthNurseorothercommunitysupports.

You,theEarlyCommunicationSpecialist,theaudiologist,andothersupportteammembersmeettodiscusstheneedsofyourbabyandfamilyandhowbesttomeetthoseneeds.TogetheryoudevelopaplancalledtheIndividualizedFamilyServicePlan.Thisplanincludes:

•Specialistsandsupportsyouwouldliketohaveinvolved

•Howoftenyouandyourbabywillmeetwithdifferentworkersfromyoursupportteam

•Areasofyourbaby’sdevelopmentthatyouwanttofocuson(e.g.listening,communication,language)

•Whatprogressyourfamilyandearlysupportteamexpecttoseeattheendofsixmonths

Familiesknowtheirchildbest.Throughouttheprocessofsupportingachildwithhearingloss,thefamilyandteamshareideastofindwhatworksbesttomeettheneedsofthechildandfamily.

Babiesarenevertooyoungtostartearlycommunicationservices.Babieswithhearinglosstypicallydobestwhenthefamilyandearlycommunicationspecialiststartworkingtogetherassoonaspossible.

Familiesandteamcandiscussadditionalresourcesthatmaybeavailable(e.g.consultationwithCochlearImplantteamatBCChildren’sHospital,SunnyHillHearingLossteam,Well-BeingProgram).

•TheCoordinatorcanhelpyouconnectwithotherparentswhohavechildrenwithhearingloss(GuideByYourSide).Thishelpsyoulearnfromtheirexperience.

•Youmayhavefollow-updoctorandaudiologyappointments(mayincludehearingaidservices)duringthesefirstfewmonths.

BCEHP_FamilyPathBrochure_2011.indd 1 09/11/2011 1:37:56 PM

Hearing Screener:Thepersonwhogivesthescreeningtoyourbabyinthehospitalorlocalhearingclinic.

Audiologist:Thepersonwhotestsyourbaby’shearingandcanselectandfithearingequipmentifneeded.TheAudiologistwillmonitoryourbaby’shearingandhelpyouobserveyourbaby’sdevelopmentoflisteningskillsovertime.

Early Communication Coordinator:TheCoordinatorprovidesinitialsupportandanswersyourquestionsabouthearinglossandcommunicationdevelopment.Theycanalsoassistyoutofindappropriateservicesthatwillhelpyouandyourbaby.

Parent Guide:Alloftheparentguideshavechildrenwithhearingloss.Theycanhelpgiveyouemotionalsupportandinformation.GuideByYourSideisaHandsandVoicesprogramthatisofferedfreetofamiliesinBCaspartoftheBCEarlyHearingPro-gram.

Early Communication Specialist:Thispersoncanprovideyouwithinformationaboutearlybabycommunication.Theycanhelpyouwatchyourbaby’sprogressandcanshareideasforwaystoencourageyourbaby’scommunicationdevelop-ment.Thispersonmaybeaspeech-languagetherapist,auditoryverbaltherapist,orateacherofthedeaf/hardofhearing.

Aboriginal Infant Development Consultant:Thispersoncansupportyouthroughhomevisitsandplaygroupsandcanhelpassessyourbaby’sandfamily’sneeds.Thispersoncanreferyoutoothercommunityresourcesthatyoumightfindhelpful.

Sign Language Teacher:Ifyoudecidetousesignlanguagewithyourbaby,asignlanguageteachercanhelpyoulearnsignlanguage.UsuallytheteacherisDeafandmayshareinformationaboutDeafcultureandtheDeafcommunity.

Earmold:Thisisthepartofthehearingaidthatisspeciallymadetofittheshapeofyourbaby’sear.Ithelpsdirecttheamplifiedsoundintotheear.Yourbabywillneednewearmoldsashis/herearsgrowandmature.

Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children:ThisCentrehasaHearingLossTeamandislocatedinVancouver.Thisteamofspecialistscanprovidedevelopmentalassessmentsthatmightnotbeavailableinyourcommunity.YourCommunityHealthNurseorotherHealthworkercanhelpyougetmoreinformationbycalling:604-453-8300andaskingfortheHearingLossTeam.

Well Being Program:Thisprogramprovidesfreefamilycounselingtofamilieswhohaveamemberwhoisdeaforhardofhearing.YourCommunityHealthNurseorotherHealthworkercanhelpyougetmoreinformationbycalling:604-456-0900.

WhatisOtitisMedia?•Fluidorpressurebuild-upbehindtheeardrum,inthemiddlepartoftheear

•Sometimesmiddle-earfluidcanbecomeinfected

WhataresomesignsofOtitisMedia?•Sometimesearache,irritability,fever,poorfeeding,lessresponsivethanusualtospeechorothersound

Whyisthisimportant?•Fluidbehindtheeardrumcanblocksounds,makingitevenmoredifficulttolistenandunderstand

WhatshouldparentsdoiftheysuspecttheirbabyhasOtitisMedia?•Parentsshouldtalkwiththeirfamilydoctor,audiologist,orCommunityHealthNurse

First Nations Health Council Health Advocate can provide:

•SupportandadvocacyassistanceonNon-InsuredHealthBenefitsandMedicalServicesPlanissues

Call(tollfree)1-866-913-0033oremail:advocate@fnhc.ca

Aboriginal Patient Liaison can provide:

•SupportandcomfortforfamilieswithappointmentsatBCChildren’sHospitalorSunnyHillHealthCentreforChildren

• InformationaboutFirstNationsrightsandbenefits

Call:604-875-3440or(tollfree)1-800-331-1533

For more information:

Contact the BC Early Hearing Program Office

Toll free at 1-866-612-2347

This document was produced in collaboration with the Tripartite Planning Committee for First

Nations and Aboriginal Maternal and Child Health

YourCommunityHealthNurse/CommunityHealthRep:

YourAudiologist:

YourEarlyCommunicationSpecialist:

YourFamilyDoctor:

OtherSupports/Contacts: