Universal Newborn Hearing Screening

Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) focuses on providing the earliest possible diagnosis for infants with permanent hearing loss. The goal of UNHS is to prevent or minimize the consequences of newborn hearing loss on speech and language development through timely and effective diagnosis and interventions. Hospital UNHS programs, outpatient hearing screening programs, primary health care providers, otolaryngologists, and audiologists are each in key positions to educate and advocate for families about the importance of follow-up, if they themselves are well informed. The objective of this study is to survey attitudes, practices and knowledge of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) providers in relation to newborn hearing screening and follow-up in order to better understand the dynamics that contribute to families’ ability to successfully access audiological and early intervention services under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in accordance with both the 2-day federal rule and the 1-3-6 month referral protocols as outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing and adopted by the Texas Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program. Additionally, parents will be surveyed to better understand how their experiences and perspectives in the supports and services they received within the EHDI continuum influenced follow-up & early intervention outcomes.

Texas EHDI Provider Survey
This survey is being conducted by the ESC State Leadership Office for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services, Region 10 Education Service Center, as a part of a statewide initiative to improve follow-up rates from newborn hearing screening, diagnosis, and referral to early intervention services. If you provide newborn hearing screening (birth and/or outpatient), audiology, pediatric medical care, or otolaryngology services to infants and toddlers, birth to three, please take a moment to complete this survey. This will help us to better serve you, your colleagues and families of the estimated 1,500 infants who are born each year in Texas with hearing loss.

Texas EHDI Parent Survey
This survey is being conducted by the the ESC State Leadership Office for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services, Region 10 Education Service Center, as a part of a statewide initiative to improve follow-up rates from newborn hearing screening, diagnosis, and referral to early intervention services. If your child's hearing loss was suspected or present at birth, please take a moment to complete this survey. This will help us to better serve you and other parents and families of the estimated 1,500 infants who are born each year in Texas with hearing loss.