Early Hearing Detection, Diagnosis and Intervention
The 1, 3, 6 Rule
Here are some easy guidelines to remember to ensure that infants in Washington are:
1 – Screened for hearing loss before hospital discharge or by one month of age
3 – Have a diagnostic hearing evaluation by an audiologist by three months of age (if the infant did not pass two screens)
6 – Enrolled in early intervention by six months of age (if a hearing loss was found)
Early Intervention –
What You Can Do?
If an audiologist has informed you that your child is deaf or hard of hearing, whether it is a mild or profound hearing level, connecting with your county’s local early intervention program is important. It’s likely your child’s audiologist has referred your family, but if not, you can contact your local early intervention program to ensure your child is enrolled by 6 months.
Why 6 months? Research shows that many children who are enrolled in early intervention by 6 months of age or younger and are receiving appropriate services have a greater opportunity to develop language and communication skills without any long-lasting delays. Having someone on your family’s early intervention team with specialized training and skills to work with infants and toddlers who are deaf and hard of hearing is recommended to make sure your child is making the same progress (using any form of communication) as their hearing peers.
It’s helpful to be aware of the many communication options and opportunities available to your family. To learn more of these opportunities visit our Communication Considerations web page.
It is also helpful to connect with families whose child is deaf and hard of hearing and adults who are deaf and hard of hearing. By connecting with others, you will soon learn ways to support your child and family.
Family involvement will help your child be the most successful they can be. By being involved in this process you will learn new skills and connect with a supportive community creating well being for yourself and your child.