Louisiana Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program: For Healthcare Professionals & Providers

Communication is Key

Approximately 100 babies in Louisiana are identified as deaf or hard of hearing each year. Identifying these babies as early as possible through newborn hearing screening is important to prevent developmental delays. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing should receive early intervention services as soon as possible — at least before a baby is six months old, but earlier is better — in order to develop communication and language skills similar to their peers.

It takes a team of healthcare professionals to get a child through the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention process, from the initial screening to enrollment in early intervention services. The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention process helps ensure that all families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing receive the support they need to help their children learn, grow, and thrive. They follow the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing's Position Statement to guide this process. 

Resources To Share

We have created a suite of free resources for providers to share with families as they move through the hearing diagnosis process. You can print these on your own, or request these materials to be mailed to you at no cost by completing this request form.

• Rescreening Information | Su Bebé Necesita Un Examen De Audición: share this with families of children who need to be rescreened to help them know what to expect.

• Risk Factors | Su Bebé Tiene Existir Factores: share this with families to let them know the next steps when their child has a risk factor for hearing loss.

• Newborn Hearing Screening | Examen de Audición del Bebe: all families should receive a copy of this on the back of their Newborn Hearing Screening form.

• Diagnostic Testing | Su Bebé Necesita Un Examen Diagnóstico De Audición: share this with families of children who need to receive diagnostic testing so they know what to expect and how to prepare.

• Diagnosed As Deaf or Hard of Hearing Resource | Su Bebe Ha Sido Diagnosticado Con Perdida Auditiva: share this with families of children who were identified as deaf or hard of hearing to give them an idea of what's to come. 

• Diagnosed with Unilateral Hearing Loss | Su Bebe Ha Sido Diagnosticado Con Perdida Auditiva en un Oido): share this with families of children who were identified as being deaf or hard of hearing in one ear to emphasize the importance of early intervention and give them an idea of what's to come.

• Communication Options Guide | Opciones de Comunicación: share this guide with families to start exploring the different ways children who are deaf and hard of hearing can learn how to communicate, and what to anticipate moving forward.

Provider Responsibilities

Below is an overview of what each of the different types of providers involved in the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention process is responsible for.

Birthing Facilities

All newborn babies should receive a hearing screening before they leave the hospital. Providers at the birthing facility are responsible for the following tasks when conducting a newborn hearing screening:

• Communicating about the newborn hearing screening process with parents prior to screening.

• Informing parents, primary care providers, and the Louisiana Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program of the hearing screening results.

• Scheduling a follow-up appointment that takes place within two to four weeks for infants who need follow-up testing after the initial screening.

Review the Louisiana Birthing Facilities Newborn Hearing Screening Guidelines for more information.

Primary Care Providers

A coordinated, family-centered approach is recommended for treating babies who are deaf or hard of hearing. It is important to tell parents that continuous interaction and communication are critical to their child meeting developmental milestones. Both verbal and non-verbal communication will help parents bond with their baby and lay the groundwork for the baby's language and communication skills. Providers can keep this Hearing Screening Follow-Up Protocol on hand to determine next steps for their patients based on their newborn hearing screening results. 

Below are some of the core responsibilities of a pediatrician in the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention process:

• Ensuring infants who need follow-up testing get rescreened and/or receive diagnostic testing in a timely manner.

• Reviewing a child's medical history for risk indicators that require monitoring for late-onset or progressive hearing loss. If risk indicators are present, make sure an audiological evaluation is completed. As a general rule, this should take place no later than nine months of age, but certain circumstances recommend no later than one or three months. For more information on recommended timeframes, review page 19 of the 2019 Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Position Statement, or contact [email protected].

• Conducting regular surveillance of developmental milestones, auditory skills, parental concerns, and middle ear status consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics pediatric periodicity schedule

Audiologists

The main roles of an audiologist are to rescreen babies who need follow-up testing after the initial newborn screening, perform diagnostic testing to confirm or rule out hearing differences, and fit children for hearing aids. Babies who are deaf or hard of hearing may need to learn alternative ways of communicating, such as sign language. Audiologists should make sure families know their options and can help them begin the process of determining the best ways to communicate with their baby. When working with children identified as deaf or hard of hearing, it is important to:

• Ensure parents understand the results of their child's hearing test.

• Report test results in LA HiTrack Data Management System

• Provide timely fitting and monitoring of amplification devices.

• Refer families to appropriate intervention services and inform the child's primary care physician. Babies who are deaf or hard of hearing should be enrolled in early intervention and support services as soon as possible.

For more information, check out our Pediatric Audiology Guidelines.

If your facility provides audiological services to infants and young children, make sure they’re registered on EHDI-PALS. If your facility isn’t listed, register here so that families can find you.