One of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act is to encourage providers to move toward “health homes.” But what is a health home? This Health Affairs article explains the concept of a
health home and how the person-centered care approach can apply to safety-net patients. 

Link: http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2012/02/13/what-in-the-world-is-a-health-home/?cat=grantwatch

Link: http://www.infanthearing.org/resources_home/events/diagnostics_id2012.html

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently released the topics and brief synopses of their latest research efforts in Otolaryngology that will be presented at the 2012 Midwinter Meeting of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology. This meeting will be held from February 25-29, 2012 in San Diego. To learn more about the meeting, these topics related to hearing research, or these organizations, follow this link. 

Link: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/niod-nso021712.php

Gary and Sophia are among the growing number of children
throughout the U.S. who have enrolled in American Sign Language
classes. Sign language, once considered the sole province of the
deaf, is enjoying a renaissance of sorts as parents grasp the
concept that they can understand their child’s needs long before
they can talk. Because hand-eye coordination develops sooner than acquisition
of verbal skills, infants can learn simple signs for common words
such as “eat,” “sleep,” “more,” “hug,” “play,” “cookie” and “teddy
bear” before they are able to produce understandable speech.
Infants from about 6 months of age can begin to learn the basic
signs. This article highlights the importance of communicating with and engaging a deaf child early on.

Link: http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/billings-sign-language-classes-engage-babies-toddlers/article_7ab56d38-5aab-11e1-b909-0019bb2963f4.html

An article published by WebMD discusses hearing loss in children, the importance of early intervention, and highlights many important steps if you suspect your child has a hearing loss. According WebMD, two out of every 1,000 children have
some sort of hearing loss upon birth. Hearing loss can either be
congenital hearing loss that a child is born with, or it can be acquired
later on in childhood. If you have any reason to believe that your child may have
hearing loss, it’s important to immediately consult with a doctor. Read this article to learn more. 

Link: http://www.news8000.com/How-to-cope-with-your-child-s-hearing-loss/-/262/8819752/-/11sybe6z/-/

Jihovana Sandoval-Salas is a 1-year-old girl who is all smiles and
bright, brown eyes, but six months ago her mother grew concerned because
she was much quieter than most infants. A hearing screening through Early Head Start in Columbus started
unraveling the mystery. The girl’s doctors believed she could have a hearing loss that was affecting her speech development.

This article highlights the importance of periodic hearing screening for children after the newborn period.

Link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-exchange-hearings,0,1585730.story

A new resource will allow the Family Resource Agency to more accurately test the hearing of students in the Early Head Start program. Otoacoustic Emission hearing detection equipment was given to Head Starts across the state of Ohio after Head Start state director Janet Coscarelli received a grant from the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management.

Link: http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/17554735/article-New-hearing-tools-helping-Head-Start?instance=latest_articles

Children
and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs (CYSHCNs) account for almost 1
in 5 children in the United States. NICHQ is pleased to present new
toolkits to help providers and families better support their care and
help develop community-based systems that address their needs. While
these toolkits focus on children with hearing loss or epilepsy, many of
the tools and tips are relevant for all CYSHCNs.

Link: http://www.nichq.org/resources/ISC_toolkit_landingpage.html

Some deaf people choose implants, but others remain wary. Where are you in this debate? The story of two teenagers who chose not to have implants has generated a good discussion, many are divided on the issue but this article highlights comments from people on both sides and certainly helps in bringing the discussion to the forefront. 

Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17039270

Hear the World, a
global initiative to build awareness about the importance of good
hearing by leading Swiss hearing instrument manufacturer Phonak,
announced the results of its “Hearing is Living” study, illustrating the
connection between good hearing health and good self-esteem. Investing in your hearing health is worth every penny and has self-esteem benefits. The “Hearing is Living” study surveyed more than 4,300 people in the United States, Germany, France, Switzerland and Great Britain to examine the significance of hearing on a person’s quality of life.

Link: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/15/4266230/new-study-draws-connection-between.html