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FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS
 If you need to talk with other parents who have children with hearing loss, we can help put you in touch with each other — Just send us an e-mail with your contact information. You can also attend our monthly chapter meetings to learn more about hearing loss and the resources available to help you and your child. A listing of local chapters and contact information is provided here.
Otitis Media - Common Cause Of Hearing Loss In Children
Commonly called middle ear infection, otitis media is one of the most common medical problems of childhood and the chief cause of hearing loss in children. Fortunately, the hearing loss is neither severe, nor is it usually permanent; but such hearing loss may cause delays in development of the child's language and intellectual skills. Surgical treatment, when necessary, alleviates hearing loss and reduces both the number and the severity of recurrent ear infections. Otitis media may be acute (an episodic infection treated with antibiotics) or it can develop into a chronic type where fluid fills the middle ear and requires surgical therapy.
Common signs of acute otitis media are pain and fever, though older children often have chronic otitis media without these symptoms. Many children develop otitis media with effusion (fluid in the middle ear) after acute otitis media and others have recurrent acute otitis media. The ears clear between episodes. A daily, low-dose antibiotic taken for several months may prevent recurrent episodes. However, the emergence of resistant organisms make this option less desirable. For more complete information on otitis media, click here to visit the website of the Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center at the University of Washington.
Other WWW Resources For Parents
Where do we go from hear? For the newly diagnosed.
Voice for hearing impaired children supports the Auditory Verbal method.
Listen up! & Talk it up! has home therapy tips to make every day a learning experience.
The Speaker Page is dedicated to childhood hearing loss. The author's son, James, affectionately refers to his hearing aids as "Speakers"!
Deaf Education Options Guide offers links for parents considering different educational options.
Listen & Talk in Seattle is a private, not for profit early intervention program devoted to working with parents who want to teach their children with hearing loss to listen and speak.
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