The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has determined
that there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against
age-related hearing loss screening by primary care doctors. USPSTF found
no trials to evaluate for adverse
events. Consequently, due to the research gaps, the Task Force could not
recommend for or against screening for age-related hearing loss in the
primary care setting.

USPSTF’s decision was published online August 14, 2012 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Link: http://www.hearingreview.com/insider/2012-08-23_09.asp

Children, especially the very young, aren’t always able to
verbalize when something’s wrong. Hearing loss, which can affect a person for
life, is no exception. Follow the link to learn more about common warning signs.

Link: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/08/21/health-tip-when-children-develop-hearing-loss

HLAA applauds ADA, the Academy, and ASHA for joining HLAA in supporting
consumer needs and setting a path for audiologists to evaluate how their
practices will respond to and work in a new hearing health care delivery
system.

The statement echoes and reinforces HLAA’s long-standing campaign for
accessible and affordable hearing health care through itemization, price
transparency, and audiology services beyond the sale of hearing aids, including
aural rehabilitation counseling and information about assistive listening and
alerting devices. HLAA also supports consumer options in designing hearing
health care to include family participation and education, measuring consumer
satisfaction, and providing options for serving consumers who bought their
hearing aids from another source such as the Internet. In addition, HLAA
encourages audiologists to enlist the support of trained peer mentors.

Link: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/20/4742255/hearing-loss-association-of-america.html#storylink=cpy

Certain childhood illnesses, such as mumps, measles, meningitis and
rubella can also cause significant hearing loss. For this reason, it’s
important to get your child immunized. Also, ensure that your infant’s
hearing is checked. It’s possible to do
this within a week of birth. When hearing loss in children is identified
early, especially within six months of age, it can be treated and even
reversed, so that the child doesn’t develop speech impairments.

Link: http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article3779652.ece

The
digital revolution has taken the hearing health care world by storm,
especially in terms of consumer access to hearing aids. What do these
innovations mean for audiologists?

Link: http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2012/120731/Paradigm-Shift--The-New-World-of-Hearing-Health-Care-Delivery.htm

HRSA has launched the Grants Technical Assistance (TA) webpage, a
one-stop-shop for potential applicants that is designed to help increase
the number, quality and success of applicants. This newly developed
site provides an array of useful TA
information and resources that will be invaluable to those interested in
Federal assistance. Applicants will find a message from Dr. Wakefield,
webcasts, videos, guidance about application registration and submission
requirements, funding opportunity announcement structure and content,
tips for writing grant proposals, and more.

The new webpage and
TA products are the culmination of over a year of effort by the HRSA
Technical Assistance Outreach Workgroup. The workgroup focused on
developing products for all potential applicants to enable them to
compete more effectively for HRSA funds and to promote a better
understanding of HRSA’s grant processes, funding opportunities,
programs, and services.

Check out the new webpage at: http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/ and please share with any potential applicants.

Link: http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/

In case you missed it, AMCHP hosted a webinar on Jul. 31, to continue
the conversation with its members on the impact of the Supreme Court
ruling and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This webinar serves as a
review of the key provisions of the ACA,
implications of the June Supreme Court ruling for MCH populations and an
in-depth discussion of the Medicaid expansion and health insurance
exchange establishment. AMCHP was able to hear from some of our member
states on how their programs are helping to advance the ACA as well. For
more information, click here or follow the read more link.

Link: http://www.amchp.org/Policy-Advocacy/health-reform/resources/Pages/default.aspx

Finding out a child is deaf can be very difficult for families, and
deciding what to do can be tough. Although there is no way to restore
natural hearing, promising treatment options may help a child to hear. A variety of causes can lead to hearing loss in infants. Babies born
prematurely are at a higher risk for hearing loss than other infants.
Some infections during pregnancy may lead to hearing problems in babies.
For unknown reasons, the structure of the ear may not develop normally
early in pregnancy.

Although testing can identify some causes of hearing loss, determining
why an individual child has hearing loss is not always possible. Right now, there are few clinical trials designed to treat or cure newborn hearing loss.

Link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-201208091500--tms--mayoclnctnmc-a20120809-20120809,0,522605.story

The Ministry of Health, and hospitals throughout the state of
Guanajuato, Mexico, have gone live with OZ Systems’ health information
management solutions to provide secure, cloud-based data administration
and case management support for the government’s newborn hearing screening program.

The Guanajuato project is a key milestone advancing Mexico’s Universal
Newborn Hearing Screening Program. It is also a tremendous advance in
data systems interoperability. Even in the United States, many Early
Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs are not connected to
birth registry databases. With the landmark Guanajuato project, when a
baby is registered in their National Database, OZ Systems’ e-Screener
Plus II™ (eSP II™) application receives important demographic
information from hospitals – avoiding manual entry of information,
creating efficiencies, and reducing opportunities for human error or
missed information.

Most importantly, it allows hospital
coordinators to keep track of every baby with hearing loss so they can
be rescreened or referred to a specialist for early intervention,
treatment and follow-up.

Link: http://rushprnews.com/2012/08/10/the-state-of-guanajuato-mexico-goes-live-with-hyper-connected--health-it-solution-to-support-newborn-hearing-screening

On Tuesday, Gov.
Deval Patrick signed H.B. 52 into law, requiring insurance coverage for
children’s hearing aids. Details about coverage will be specified in the
regulations which will be developed
before the law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2013. The bill was sponsored by
Rep. Sean Garballey and many other legislative supporters, including the
71 original co-sponsors that worked tirelessly on behalf of children
who are deaf and hard of hearing in Massachusetts.
Visit the Massachusetts Hearing Aids for Children Coalition (MassHAFCC) blog for the latest updates.

Link: http://masshafcc.blogspot.com/