Information for Health Professionals
This section of our website has tools and information about hearing loss for health professionals, including free educational materials to give to patients.
What You Can Do
No Later Than 1 Month of Age
Ensure hearing screening process is complete for all newborns. Refer to your state protocol.
-
Review results & risk factors for late onset or progressive hearing loss with parent/guardian (refer to risk factors page).
-
Schedule audiologic diagnostic evaluation for all “Refers” (“Fail”, “Did not pass”).
A repeat hearing screening is recommended before discharge for all infants who are readmitted to a hospital within the first month of life for conditions associated with potential hearing loss.
Video: Identifying Hearing Loss in Newborns
No Later Than 3 Months of Age
- Note results of diagnostic audiologic evaluation for babies who do not pass the initial screen or re-screen and discuss results with parents.
- If a diagnosis is confirmed:
- Schedule an otolaryngology and ophthalmology exam
- Offer the family a referral for a genetics consultation
- Counsel parents about amplification options (hearing aids, cochlear implants) and communication options
- Provide medical clearance as appropriate
- Provide medical referrals: as indicated including neurology, developmental pediatrics, cardiology and nephrology
- Refer to Early Intervention (Part C)
No Later Than 6 Months of Age
-
Communicate with the family about ongoing audiology services.
-
Ensure child is enrolled in Early Intervention Services (Part C).
-
Provide family with information regarding communication options.
-
Communicate with the family and other service providers for continuity of care.
For more information, please see the Just in Time: For Pediatric Care Providers booklet. The booklet gives an overview of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program process and information on risk factors, screening, diagnosis, communication choices, and early intervention.
Free Materials for Patients
View, print, and order brochures to give to patients, including:
Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child’s Audiologist
Just in Time for Pediatric Primary Care Providers
Guía para padres sobre la genética y la pérdida auditiva
A Parent’s Guide to Hearing Loss CD ROM
- And more…
Recommendations and Guidelines
Find recommendations and guidelines related to universal newborn hearing screening and early hearing detection and intervention programs.
Recommendations and Guidelines »
Data & Statistics
Find data and statistics related to hearing loss, including prevalence, risk factors, diagnosis, and economic costs.
Research
Find a summary of CDC surveillance and research on hearing loss.
Articles
Read CDC’s latest published scientific articles on hearing loss.
EHDI Committees
Please consider sharing your experience with one of these national advisory groups helping shape services for families and professionals.
Conferences & Meetings
Every year, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) National Conference brings together a wide variety of attendees including those who:
Work in state EHDI programs
Assist in EHDI efforts on the federal level
Provide screening, diagnostic and early intervention support at the national, state and local level to young children with hearing loss and their families
Champion Medical Home activities within each state
Are parents of children with hearing loss
Are deaf or hard-of-hearing adults who are helping to expand opportunities for young children with hearing loss
Upcoming Conference – Save the Date!
12th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
April 14 - 16, 2013, Glendale, AZ
11th Annual EHDI Conference St. Louis MO 2012
10th Annual EHDI Conference Atlanta 2011
Getting Maximum Advantage from the New CDC Website “Hearing Loss in Children”: Advanced Tips
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Steve Richardson
Recording available at: View Recording
The Five ‘W’s of Family Decision Making: Beyond the ‘What’
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Terri Patterson, Janet DesGeorges
Recording available at: View Recording
The Effect of Co-Occurring Birth Defects on the Timing of Hearing Screening and Diagnosis
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Derek A. Chapman, Ph.D.
Recording available at: View Recording
Health IT Interoperability Standards for EHDI: Addressing State EHDI Program Needs
Thursday May 27, 2010
Anna Orlova, Terese Finitzo, John Eichwald
Recording available at: View Recording
Going Social 4 Health or Using Social Media for Health Communications Campaigns
Thursday April 29, 2010
Ann Aikin
A recording of this session is not available. A Social Media Toolkit (PDF) is available and provides background information on social media overall and their use at CDC.
Past Conferences
Visit the past conference pages to find an overview of the presentations, slide sets, and continuing education units (CEU).
2010 EHDI Conference
2009 EHDI Conference
2008 EHDI Conference
National Workshop on Mild and Unilateral Hearing Loss (2005)
Teleconferences and Transcripts
These teleconferences are usually held bimonthly on the fourth Thursday of February, April, June, August, October and December unless otherwise announced. The conferences:
Start at 4:00 PM Eastern
Serve as a forum to discuss and share EHDI issues, ideas and activities with people working in fields related to newborn screening
Provide toll-free audio and web access to all participants and free captioning services by request.
Past Transcripts
Following are transcripts and other related materials of the teleconferences from February 2009 - present. For older transcripts, email cdcinfo@cdc.gov.
Making Information Truly Accessible to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Audiences
February 15, 2010
Mark D. Urban
Infant Diagnostic Hearing Evaluation Survey Results
November 17, 2009
Karen Munoz
NECAP Overview: Examining Language Outcomes at the National Level
September 15, 2009
Allison Sedey, Christie Yoshinaga-Itano
[Chart | Justification | Supplement]
Findings from the 2007 CDC EHDI Hearing Screening and Follow-up Survey
July 14, 2009
Marcus Gaffney, John Eichwald
Standards for the Electronic Transmission of Newborn Screening Records
June 9, 2009
Anna Orlova, Terese Finitzo, John Eichwald
[Standards]
Telehealth and EHDI: A Natural Relationship
May 12, 2009
De Wet Swanepoel, Mark Krumm
Mild & Unilateral Hearing Loss: Considering Options for Families
February 24, 2009
Sarah McKay, Anne Marie Tharpe
Unique Perspectives on Children Affected by Congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
February 10th, 2009
Gail Demmler-Harrison, Lynn Pickus, Lisa Saunders, Stuart Grist, Janelle Greenlee
State Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Contacts
Find contacts for your local Early Hearing program »
Other Resources
Public Health Grand Rounds
CDC Features
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Hearing Loss Team
1600 Clifton Road
MS E-87
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
New Hours of Operation
8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday
Closed Holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov
