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/

AG Bell’s 2012
Parent-Infant Financial Aid Program is now accepting applications. The
deadline is Oct. 1, 2012. Information and an application
packet are available on the
AG Bell website. This program is for families of children from birth
to three years of age who have been diagnosed with a moderate to
profound bilateral hearing loss and who are in pursuit of spoken
language education for their child. Awards are intended
to assist with expenses such as auditory support services,
speech-language therapy, preschool tuition, etc.
Click here
to learn more.

Link: http://www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org/Document.aspx?id=269

Heard About Genetic Counseling? What Does it Mean for You, Patients, and Families?  This webinar may be of interest to audiologists, given its focus on genetics.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/333904226
 
When: Thursday, August 30
 
12:00-12:30pm Central
1:00-1:30pm Eastern
11:00-11:30am Mountain
10:00-10:30am Pacific
 
Presenter:
Karin Dent, MS, LCGC
 
This educational webinar series is presented by the Genetics in Primary Care Institute (GPCI), a cooperative agreement between the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The objective of this 10-part webinar series is to increase awareness and education regarding the provision of genetic medicine in primary care practice. It is designed for primary care clinicians, pediatricians, pediatric sub-specialists, family physicians, nurse practitioners, genetic counselors, geneticists, and other stakeholders.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. The webinar will begin promptly at the times listed above. Please plan to log in to the webinar 5-10 minutes prior to the start time.

The webinar will be recorded and available online within a week of the live webinar at this link: http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/GPCI.aspx#webinar

The webinar is open to all who are interested. Please disseminate this information widely.

If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Wilson (lwilson@aap.org) or Natalie Mikat-Stevens (nstevens@aap.org).

Link: http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/GPCI.aspx#webinar

Thousands of individuals participate in weekend sign language convention. Read more about the convention.

Link: http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Thousands-Participate-in-Sign-Langage-Convention-164059186.html