Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today
announced $4.9 million in Affordable Care Act funding to support
Family-to-Family Health Information Centers, primarily non-profit
organizations run by and for families with children with special health
care needs. These centers are staffed by trained family leaders who have children with
special health care needs, and expertise in navigating federal, state
and local public and private health care systems. HHS’ Health Resources
and Services Administration (HRSA) oversees the centers. Information on the Affordable Care Act can be found at www.HealthCare.gov.
Link: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/05/20120523a.html
Katie Beckett Leaves Legacy For Kids With Disabilities
Katie
Beckett died Friday morning in the same hospital where she’d once made
history. Beckett was 3 years old when her case changed health care law.
She was 34 when she died. NPR’s Joseph Shapiro explains why she was
important to other children with
disabilities. All of us are devastated but will continue to be inspired
by her courage and the tremendous impact she had on behalf of all
children and youth with special healthcare needs and their families. A
beautiful tribute to Katie, aired on National Public Radio last week is
available following this link.
Link: http://www.npr.org/2012/05/19/153076971/katie-beckett-leaves-legacy-for-kids-with-disabilities
Life With a Child With Cochlear Implants VIDEO
Moms are awesome. Need proof? Meet Tanna. Her son, Hunter, has severe
hearing loss and received cochlear implants to help him hear. Dealing
with the effects of Hunter’s severe hearing loss has meant at least
biweekly trips back and forth to
Nashville from their home two hours away so he can get the therapy he
needs. And she doesn’t get to just sit in the waiting room and read a
magazine…she’s right there working with the therapist so she can help
him at home as well. Check out what they’re doing in this video by following the link.
Link: http://thestir.cafemom.com/big_kid/137665/life_with_a_child_with
Hearing loss can impede children's language development
The earlier hearing loss occurs in a child’s life, the more serious the
effects on the child’s development. As parents discover the hearing
problem in their child, it is necessary to obtain and begin professional
help. This way, the hearing loss may
have a less serious impact on the child’s communication and learning
skills. This article considers the ways in which hearing loss of all
degrees affects children, because it will cause a delay in the
development of all learned skills, such as speech and language.
Link: http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/hearing-loss-can-impede-children-s-language-development/article_b4c05104-b026-5a6c-ae59-fec1a5c76a06.html
The Ethics of Designing a Deaf Baby
Audiologists are devoted to helping people hear better, so it will
likely come as a shock to learn that some parents prefer that their
babies be born deaf. So-called designer deafness is the idea behind
conceiving a deaf child via preimplantation genetic diagnosis or by
selecting a sperm or egg donor with a strong family history of deafness. Read this article to learn more.
Link: http://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/Fulltext/2012/05000/Breaking_News___The_Ethics_of_Designing_a_Deaf.2.aspx
The role of telehealth in meeting the needs of persons with hearing loss
Learn about the role of telehealth in meeting the needs of persons with hearing loss by reading: Connecting to Communicate: Using Telepractice to Improve Outcomes for Children and Adults With Hearing Loss by K. Todd Houston, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT (The University of Akron )
Link: http://www.asha.org/aud/Articles/Using-Telepractice-to-Improve-Outcomes-for-Children-and-Adults-With-Hearing-Loss/?utm_source=asha&utm_medium=enewsletter&utm_campaign=0512aa
AMCHP Budget Sequestration
The
Association for Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) has created
a fact sheet about budget sequestration and the impact this will have
on the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant and other
MCH funding. Click
here for a copy. This fact sheet covers a series of
questions and answers detailing what sequestration means, the expected
percentage cut set to take place Jan. 2, 2013 under current law, exempt
programs and other additional information.
Link: http://www.amchp.org/Policy-Advocacy/health-reform/resources/Documents/Budget_Sequestration_Fact_Sheet_5-10-12%5B1%5D.pdf
NICHQ Highlights Infant Hearing Screening Program during Better Hearing and Speech Month
In recognition of May as Better Hearing and Speech Month, the National
Institute for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) has developed a diagram to illustrate how infants are lost in the hearing
screening process. Every year, US hospitals test the hearing of millions
of babies, some 60,000 of whom do not pass an initial hearing test. Of
those, roughly half have no state record of receiving follow-up care or
services.
Link: http://www.nichq.org/who_we_are/in_the_news.html?id=%2077
Are Hearing Aid Reviews Reliable?
How do you find the best hearing aid for you? Consult your ear professional! One question we often receive here at Healthy Hearing is, “Where can I
find reliable hearing aid reviews?” The answer to this question isn’t
easy. Because hearing aids are electronic devices, many people expect to
be able to review their various features and select the best one – much
like researching a television or cell phone purchase. To learn more about the reliability of hearing aid reviews, read more.
Link: http://www.healthyhearing.com/content/faqs/Buying/Reviews/50223-Are-hearing-aid-reviews-reliable
Hear the World and Special Olympics join forces with US Olympian, former Congressman Jim Ryun
Former US Olympian Jim Ryun set the record for the mile as a high school
junior, competed in three US Olympics and held a seat in Congress from
1996-2007. Now he’s partnered with Hear the World and Special Olympics
to set another record: the overall number of people in the US who take
care of their hearing health.