​​​​Parent Resources

The Newborn Hearing Screening Program (NHSP) identified some helpful materials for the parents of children newly diagnosed with hearing loss. The information contained in the links below is meant to serve as a starting point and offer a baseline and/or foundation by which you can more successfully seek answers appropriate for you and your child's unique situation. These resources may be helpful when researching services and options for your child. Certainly information regarding deafness is not limited to the materials provided here. We encourage you to contact professionals and organizations that you are comfortable with and who you trust to help you make the choices affecting your child's future. An excellent place to start looking for answers to your questions is your local Hearing Coordination Center (HCC) or by calling the NHSP toll-free number at 1-877-388-5301.​

Helpful Articles and Printable Guides

• John Tracy Center
• Where to​ Begin
  
• Audiogram of Familiar Sounds
  
• The National Center for Hearing Assessment & Management (NCHAM)
• Communicate with Your Child: Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese
• Just in Time Resources Collection: English, Spanish
  
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
• How Do We Hear?
• American Sign Language Fact Sheet
• Speech and Language Milestones 0-5 Years of Age
• Auditory Neuropathy Fact Sheet
• What is a Cochlear Implant?
• Ear Infections in Children
  
• Exploring Communication Opportunities for Children with Hearing Differences
  
• 8 Reasons to say Yes to Early Intervention for your Child who is Deaf/Hard of Hearing
• ​Family Services Referral to Early Start Program​
  
• Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
• Starting Out Together: An Early Intervention Guide for Families: English, Spanish, Vietnamese
• California Early Start Family Resource Centers Lookup Tool
• Parent's Rights: An Early Start Guide for Families
  
• Understanding What an IFSP Is:
• How to Qualify for Hearing Aid Coverage
• ​Aural Atresia  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Decision Guide to Communication Choices
• Making a Plan for Your Child
• Early Intervention: Communication and Language for Families of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Infants
• Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child's Medical Professional
• Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child's Genetics Team
• Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child's Early Interventionists
• Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child's ENT Doctor
• Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child's Audiologist
• Parents' Guide to Genetics and Hearing Loss
• Parent Guides to Hearing Loss: Building Communication Skills
  
• ​Hearing Aid Technology
• ​​11 Sign Language Activities for Kids
• Fun American Sign Language Games to Help You Learn ASL
• Communicating with Your Baby: 0-12 Months​​

State Resources

• Children's Medical Services
  California Department of Health Care Services
  Plays a key role in overseeing and supporting programs that provide or fund preventative, diagnostic, and treatment services including well-child assessments, immunizations, specialized health services, therapy, and rehabilitation services. The Children's Medical Services (CMS) administers the following programs:
• California Children's Services (CCS)
• Hearing Conservation Program (HCP)
• Newborn Hearing Screening Program (NHSP)

• California Department of Developmental Services, Early Start Program 
  P.O. Box 944202, Sacramento, CA  94244-2020
  800-515-BABY (800-515-2229)
  E-Mail: earlystart@dds.ca.gov
  The Early Start program publishes a directory of family resource centers, regional centers, local education agencies, and other public agencies who are knowledgeable about early intervention and disabilities, and other related resources for infants and toddlers with special needs and their families.
  

• California Department of Education, Special Education Division
  Phone: (916) 445-4613
  E-Mail: specedinfoshare@cde.ca.gov
  Is responsible for developing and coordinating the provision of programs to students with special educations needs. This includes non-medical early intervention services for infants and toddlers who have a visual, hearing, or orthopedic impairment or a combination of these. Services are coordinated and provided locally through Special Education Local Planning Areas and Local Education Agencies.

• California Department of Education: Special Education Local Plan Areas 
  515 L Street, Room 270, Sacramento, CA  95814
  Phone: (916) 445-4613
  E-Mail: specedinfoshare@cde.ca.gov
  Early intervention services (non-medical) are administered and coordinated by organizations known as special education local plan areas (SELPA).  Early intervention services are provided by local education agencies (LEA) such as school districts and county offices of education.  SELPAs and LEAs serve infants and toddlers who are not eligible for Regional Center services and who have a visual, hearing or orthopedic impairment or a combination of these.

• California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Deaf Access Program
  Phone: (916) 653-8320
  Videophone: (916) 330-3242
  E-Mail: Deaf.Access@dss.ca.gov
  Hosts directories for Deaf Access Programs and Sign Language Interpreter services. The Deaf Access Programs in California provide communication services, advocacy services, job placement, referrals, counseling, independent living skills instruction, and community education. 
  

National Organizations

• Academy of Doctors of Audiology 
  1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 205 Frankfort, KY 40601
  Phone: (866) 493-5544 (Toll Free)
  E-mail: info@audiologist.org
  The Academy of Doctors of Audiology offers parents a variety of resources for learning about hearing loss, understanding the qualifications of audiologists, and understanding the services audiologists provide. The Patient Resources webpage maintains a list of audiologists nationwide as well as a list of frequently asked questions and answers. 

• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 
  3417 Volta Place NW, Washington, DC 20007-2778
  Phone/TTY/TDD: (202) 337-5220
  E-Mail: info@agbell.org 
  Alexander Graham Bell Association works globally to empower individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, providing support for them to listen, speak, and thrive. Their membership is free for families that have someone experiencing hearing loss and includes a resource library, financial support, and professional guidance from certified therapists and parents who have navigated the hearing loss world. 

• American Hearing Research Foundation 
  4055 W. Peterson Ave., Suite 105 Chicago, IL 60646-6183 
  Phone: (773) 747-7280  
  Supports medical research and education in the causes, prevention, and cures of deafness, hearing losses, and balance disorders. Keeps physicians and the public informed on the latest developments in hearing research and education.

• American Society for Deaf Children
  P.O. Box 23
  Woodbine, MD  21797
  Phone/TTY/TDD: 1-800-942-2732
  E-Mail: info@deafchildren.org
  The American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC) is the oldest national organization founded by and governed by parents of deaf children. The organization provides mentoring, advocacy, collaborative networks, and more. They offer many free resources like American Sign Language posters and help with navigating Individualized Education Plans. 

• BEGINNINGS 
  156-A Wind Chime Court, Raleigh, NC 27615 
  Phone/TTY: (919) 715-4092
  Fax: (919) 715-4093 
  Serves parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, works with professionals who help those children and their families, and offers information geared toward children's questions about hearing loss. The website hosts many free resources for parents, professionals, and children, including a video series for parents learning how to communicate with their child who has a hearing loss. 

• Better Hearing
  1301 K Street NW, Suite 300W, Washington DC, 20005 
  Phone: (202) 975-0905 
  Nonprofit educational organization that implements national public information programs on hearing loss and the available types of assistance.

• Captioned Media Program: National Association of the Deaf
  1447 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29307
  Phone: (800) 237-6213
  TTY/TDD: (800) 237-6819
  Fax: (800) 538-5636
  E-Mail: info@cfv.org
  Provides free loan services of open-captioned media for deaf and hard of hearing persons, teachers, parents, and others. Materials include videos (pre-school through college level-on a variety of topics (classical movies and special interest topics).
  

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
  Phone: (800) 232-4636
  Provides resources and information related to the detection and management of hearing impairment at an early age. The Hearing Loss in Children Resources page offers free, downloadable packets covering a range of topics from questions to ask doctors to decision guides for communication choices.  The Act Early page provides free materials to help track children's development and what to do if concerned about a child's development. 

• Easterseals
  141 W Jackson Blvd, Suite 1400A, Chicago, IL 60604 
  Phone: (800) 221-6827 
  E-Mail: info@easter-seals.org
  Provides early intervention services, support groups, equipment loans, information, and referrals. They offer several local offices in California that you can find using their Find Your Easterseals tool as well as a search tool to find free or reduced-cost services by zip code (scroll to the bottom of the Contact Us page to find the search tool). 

• Families Resource Center on Disabilities 
  11 E. Adams St. Suite 615, Chicago, IL 60603
  Phone: (312) 939-3513
  TTY/TDD: (312) 939-3519
  Fax: (312) 939-7297
  E-Mail: info@frcd.org
  Provides parents with assistance, referrals, information, training, and support services to advocate for children with disabilities. 
  

• Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)
  6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 320 Rockville, MD 20852
  Phone: (301) 657-2248
  E-Mail: inquiries@hearingloss.org
  Educational organization promoting the awareness and information about hearing loss, communication, assistive devices, and communication skills through publications, exhibits, and social support. They have communities in over 120 cities across the U.S. where peer support and strategies are shared in-person. Find the nearest community using their Find a Local Chapter feature. 
  

• National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
  8630 Fenton Street, Suite 202 Silver Spring, MD 20910 
  Videophone: 301-587-1788 (Purple/ZVRS) 301-328-1443 (Sorenson) 301-338-6380 (Convo)
  TTY: (301) 810-3182 
  Fax: (301) 587-1791
  E-Mail: nad.info@nad.org  
  The oldest and one of the largest consumer organizations advocating for equal access by people who are deaf or hard of hearing in the areas of employment, education, telecommunications, and rehabilitation. The association offers an extensive amount of educational resources for learning American Sign Language. They also have sample advocacy letters for navigating the school system, the legal system, visiting entertainment venues and more. 
  

• National Center on Deafblindness 
  141 Middle Neck Road Sands Point, NY 11050 
  Phone: 1-(516) 366-0047 
  E-Mail: support@nationaldb.org 
  A network of partners for children and youth who are deafblind (from birth through 21 years old). The center provides links to a wide variety of resources—factsheets, websites, articles, videos—for families, service providers, and anyone else involved in the life of a child with deafblindness. 

• National Cued Speech Association 
  P.O. Box 2733 Fairfax, VA 22031-2733
  E-Mail: info@cuedspeech.org
  Provides advocacy and support regarding use of cued speech for deaf and hard of hearing people of all ages, their families and friends, and professionals who work with them. The association hosts the Deaf Children's Literacy Project which provides free resources like individualized mentorship, collaboration with state early intervention agencies, and downloadable cued speech toolkits.

• National Institute of Health,
  National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) 
  Phone: (800) 241-1044
  TTY/TDD: (800) 241-1055
  E-Mail: nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov​
  Provides information and disseminates materials to educate the public and health professionals about research areas in human communication. The institute has information about newborn hearing screenings, next steps, and a timeline for parents to follow for hearing health. They also host a directory of organizations that provide information on disordered processes of hearing, speech, and language. 

• National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
  400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-2572
  Phone: (202) 205-8134
  TTY/TDD: (202) 205-4475
  Fax: (202) 205-8515
  Provides support for disability rehabilitation research and disseminates information about rehabilitation methods and technology for individuals with disabilities.

• Parent to Parent USA
  P.O. Box 472 State College, PA 16804 
  Links families nationally whose children have special health care needs. Provides information, resource, and referrals. Encourages participation in parent programs and disability organizations. They offer a membership for families that includes learning portals, parent handbooks, webinar recordings, and more.  

• Zero to Three
  2445 M Street NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20037
  Phone: (202) 638-1144 
  Offers early childhood trainings and resources to address the most critical issues impacting babies and toddlers. Promotes the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of children zero to three years. 

Additional Resources

• ASL Access 
  Hosts a prolific list of resources for learning American Sign Language (ASL) online as well as ASL tools that can help navigate social media and the web. They also provide a collection of ASL art, history, and reviews. 
• The Care Notebook (English), (Spanish)
  The Care Notebook is an outstanding organizer for families who have children with special needs. Families use the notebook to keep track of important information about their child's health and care. The best part is the whole thing can be downloaded for free!
• Center For Early Intervention on Deafness
  Center for Early Intervention on Deafness (CEID) is a California nonprofit organization serving families who reside throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. They provide a home visit program, deaf coaching, family events, and more.
• Hands and Voices 
  Hands and Voices is a parent driven, non-profit organization dedicated to providing unbiased support to families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. We provide support activities and information concerning deaf and hard of hearing issues to parents and professionals that may include outreach events, educational seminars, advocacy, lobbying efforts, parent to parent networking, and a newsletter. 
• Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center 
  This center develops and disseminates innovative curricula, instructional techniques, and products nationwide while providing information, training, and technical assistance for parents and professionals to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students from birth to age 21. 
• LEAD-K Family Services
  Offers support for families specifically during the first 5 years of deaf and hard of hearing children's development. Their website features services to find Early Start programs by school district, local events and workshops as well as free educational resources to download.
• Listen-Up!
  A collection of testimonials and resources from families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. 
• My Baby's Hearing 
  Provides parents with information regarding hearing screenings and walks them through the process if their child has a diagnosed hearing loss. They have guides for how to parent a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, how to prepare them for school, and how to support the child's language acquisition. 
• NorCal Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  This is a wide-ranging agency that provides advocacy, employment assistance, access to education, and interpretation services for the deaf and hard of hearing of all ages across Northern California.
• S.E.E. Center 
  The SEE (Signing Exact English) Center is a nonprofit organization that works with parents and educators of deaf or hard of hearing children. The website offers a number of resources including sign skill workshops in-person and online, an online visual dictionary, as well as general information about deafness and communication. 
• Social Media and Online Communities
  The University of California San Francisco hosts a collection of national hearing loss support websites ranging from hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer-specific communities to general help forums.
• Special Needs Project 
  This website showcases a massive, searchable database of Special Needs recreational activities, therapists, schools, and more. ​