- Call your local school to find out what early intervention parent/infant programs are available in your area. Contact these programs as soon as possible. (AG Bell has a directory of auditory-oral programs in the United States and Canada. The American Society for Deaf Children will provide assistance as well.)
- Get hearing aids as soon as possible. Ask your audiologist about loaner hearing aid programs.
- If the earmolds give constant feedback, immediately get fit for new ones. Most have a three-month warranty, so you won't have to pay for new ones within three months.
- Get a behavioral hearing test as soon as your child seems ready (probably no later than 6 months old). Get it from someone with lots of experience working with infants (vs. kids or adults).
- Have copies of all test results, as well as audiologists' and doctors' reports sent to you and your pediatrician.
- The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees every child with a disability a free and appropriate education. Familiarize yourself with the special education services in your area.
|