The most effective means for detecting deafness before the pivotal age of 6 months, systematic screening for deafness in newborns, is practised in a number of European countries, 32 American states and 3 Canadian provinces. It makes it possible to treat deafness quickly, so as to reduce the risks that the child will develop chronic delays with respect to language, school achievement and socio-affective skills.
This North American symposium on early screening for and intervention in deafness will look at the clinical and management aspects of the screening and will thus benefit audiologists, physicians and nurses involved in care of newborns, and planners and managers in the health network. All aspects of the matter will be examined:
- the systematic screening programs for deafness in newborns: benefits and problems encountered, evaluation of costs, measurement of effectiveness, examples of programs put in place recently in Canadian provinces and American states, opinion of parents of deaf and hard of hearing children;
- screening tests: reliability, functioning, audiological assessment using these tests (practical workshops); and
- intervention: selection and adjustment of hearing aids in babies and young children.
This symposium is being organized jointly by the Canadian Academy of Audiology, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (the National institute of public health of Québec) and the Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec (the Québec college of Speech-therapists and audiologists) to promote knowledge in the field of screening for and treating deafness in very young children.
Source:
Richard Larocque, Audiologist
Institut national de santé publique du Québec
(418) 527-2828, ext. 110
Information:
Julie Trudel, Information Officer
Institut national de santé publique du Québec
(514) 597-0606, ext. 4407
