There are various online forums for Teachers of the Deaf and parents of deaf children, in the UK and other parts of the world. BATOD manages an email forum.
The introduction of the New Born Hearing Screening Programme between 2002 and 2006 (Wood et al., 2015) has resulted in all children having their hearing tested at birth. However, research has now shown than almost 50% of children on school entry, with a moderate or worse bi-lateral hearing loss, were not diagnosed by the newborn screen. A hearing loss can be progressive or acquired at any point.
Hearing loss can affect young children at a time critical for developing speech, language and communication. Early diagnosis and significant advances in amplification technology, now provide far greater opportunities for a child with a hearing loss to achieve and succeed.
The information collated is intended to inform parents/carers, early years practitioners and teachers about the implications of a hearing loss and ways to promote access, to enable and empower them to have high expectations and to celebrate their child's achievements.
Whilst some links are specific to the UK, information about the nature and degree of hearing loss is globally relevant. Information about different types of amplification and basic day to day maintenance of post-aural hearing aids is relevant internationally.
Research has shown that there is a critical period for the newborn’s brain to develop. Neural pathways are developed by experiences that lead to stimulation. This neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change as a result of different experiences (Begley, 2007). Sharma et al.
This MESHGuide has been written for teachers and professionals in deaf education, professionals in special needs, audiologists, non-government-organisations (NGO), parents, trainers, headteachers in developing countries (also known as the Global South), trustees of charities and NGO groups supporting deaf education and teacher-training institutes in developing countries.
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