During most discussions about IEPs, we talk about the times that things went wrong and disgraceful things were said.  But not all IEPs are like that!  Recently a commenter on the Friendship Circle blog wrote, “Instead of ridiculous and offensive comments, why don’t you write about helpful and compassionate things heard at an IEP meeting?”

Link: http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2014/11/25/10-helpful-and-compassionate-comments-heard-at-an-iep-meeting/#.VHYAwURjbtM.facebook

Scientists have created a new wearable device that translates spoken words into vibrations – helping hearing impaired people perceive speech in a completely new way.

Link: http://zeenews.india.com/news/sci-tech/new-device-translates-words-into-vibrations-for-deaf_1503563.html

Held too close to the ears, loud toys can cause permanent hearing loss later in life. 

Read more about some of the toys tested at the link below.

Link: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/toys-643067-djalilian-sound.html

Register now for the next Move the Needle webinar offered by NCHAM on December 11th. Read more info and register at the link below.

Link: http://www.infanthearing.org/resources_home/events/physicians-in-support-of-ehdi.html

Whether it is an emergency room triage nurse, a social worker making recommendations on a child’s welfare, or a community health worker trying desperately to help someone get the support that they need, our unconscious perceptions matter.

Link: http://altarum.org/health-policy-blog/implicit-bias-and-why-it-matters

With research showing language gaps between the children of affluent parents and those from low-income families emerging at an early age, educators have puzzled over how best to reach parents and guide them to do things like read to their children and talk to them regularly.

Read more of the article at the link below.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/15/us/to-help-language-skills-of-children-a-study-finds-text-their-parents-with-tips.html?ref=education&_r=1

Life has gotten better for children with hearing loss, which is being detected at much younger ages. Technology, particularly cochlear implants, has opened easier access for many to spoken language; educational changes have provided more schooling options. Despite these advances, however, there are still reports from around the world that deaf children exhibit more behavior problems than their hearing peers. 

Link: http://raisingandeducatingdeafchildren.org/behavioral-issues-and-hearing-loss-its-far-reaching-impact

Learn more about the addition of trainers who will help to expand ECHO successes.

Have you registered for the upcoming webinar “Is Your EHDI Website As Effective As It Could Be?” It is this Thursday, 11/13 and you still have time to register.

Link: http://www.infanthearing.org/resources_home/events/website-improvement-webinar.html

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final rule on Friday (October 31) announcing that it will maintain Medicare coverage for auditory osseointegrated implants (AOIs), reversing its earlier proposal to have AOIs classified as hearing aids thereby eliminating coverage for them.  Importantly, CMS noted:

“This rule codifies the Medicare policy guidance when a device is not subject to the hearing aid exclusion. The rule finalizes that certain auditory implants, including cochlear implants, brain stem implants, and osseointegrated implants, do not meet the definition of hearing aids that are excluded from coverage.”

Link: http://www.hearingreview.com/2014/11/cms-will-maintain-coverage-bone-anchored-certain-auditory-implants/