2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
Using the Deaf-Blind Child Count to Improve Identification
Infants and toddlers who are deaf-blind have unique needs that require specific interventions to create access and build foundational skills to achieve developmental outcomes and successful engagement in learning. A large number of those who are deaf-blind are not identified as such and therefore do not have access to appropriate interventions and opportunities. The National Center on Deaf-Blindness is using the National Deaf-Blind Child Count and other information to draw attention to under identification through a range of efforts such as analyzing and using data to highlight disparities and needs, building collaborative relationships to improve identification, and producing information to raise awareness.
Deaf-blindness (combined vision and hearing impairment) has a profound impact on a child’s ability to access and develop communication, language, and concepts. It can also impede their ability to develop and maintain relationships with family, peers, and others in their lives. Proper identification is a critical first step in supporting infants and toddlers with the proper interventions and supports to meet their developmental needs. Compounding the already complex issues of identification is that approximately 87% of children and youth who are deaf-blind have additional and multiple disabilities.
Strategies being utilized to improve identification and referral of children who are deaf-blind are occurring in four different areas:
Data: Analysis and use of birth - age 2 information to highlight trends and relationships;
Information: Producing and disseminating information on the importance of identification for organizations with shared interest;
Partnerships and collaboration: Developing partnerships and collaborative relationships with EHDI, Hands & Voices, Parent Training Information Centers, Part C, and other State Agencies who have interests in improved identification;
Exemplars: Efforts by and with states and national partners to address identification
- Build awareness of under identification of infants and toddlers who are deaf-blind
- Identify potential opportunities to increase identification and referral through partnerships
- Identify new partnerships for collaboration to maximize outcomes
Poster:
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Presenter: Emma Nelson
Emma Nelson, MS Ed is the Initiative Lead for Early Identification and Referral at the National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB). She is certified as an early childhood special educator and has taught infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with complex needs including deaf-blindness in classrooms, community, and home-based settings. Before coming to NCDB, she served as Project Director for Vermont’s Federal Deaf-Blind Project. Emma is trained in Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) and endorsed in the CVI Range and earned my Master's degree at Hunter College in Early Childhood Special Education with a concentration in severe and multiple disabilities and deaf-blindness.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.