Early Identification and Intervention

It is important that infants and toddlers who may have issues with vision and/or hearing be identified and referred early in order to receive specific and specialized interventions to foster development of skills and learning. When a child has a combined hearing and vision loss, access to both auditory and visual stimuli are limited and special attention must be taken to ensure that information about their environment and world around them be provided in alternative, meaningful formats. Combined vision and hearing loss can impact parent/child bonding, motivation for movement, and incidental learning. Early identification is critical to provide access to resources and services and to support the child in meeting developmental milestones.  Screening for vision and hearing loss should occur regularly.  For more information, go to: https://www.nationaldb.org/national-initiatives/early/

Screening and Evaluation Resources

• Infant See is a program sponsored by the American Optometric Association, designed to ensure eye and vision care begins early. Through the program, participating vision providers provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment between 6 and 12 months of age free of charge. For more information, go to infantsee.org
• Resources for hearing tests for young children

Signs of Vision and/or Hearing Loss

• Know the signs and symptoms of vision or hearing loss for young children
• Early Identification of Hearing and Vision Loss 
• Potential signs and symptoms that a child may have a hearing loss
• Potential signs and symptoms that a child may have a vision loss
• Common conditions that may be related to vision and/or hearing loss

Importance of Early Intervention for Children who are Deaf/Blind

• Resources for early interventions for young children
• Division of Early Childhood Recommended Practices – The DEC Recommended Practices document is a great resource for the best-available evidence-based practices for children 0-5 who have or are at risk for a developmental delay. The document includes recommended practices in multiple areas related to improving outcomes for young children and their families. For children with both a vision and hearing loss these are incredibly important.
• A Framework for Training Early Intervention Practitioners on Deaf-/Blindness 
• Early Identification and Referral Self-Assessment Guide Process
• Information about Deafblindness and early intervention 
• Wyoming Early Intervention Service links through our Deaf/Hard of Hearing resource page