National Speech-Language-Hearing Month

May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month. This month recognizes and brings awareness to communication disorders as well as the role of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists.

About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. More than 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents. It's estimated that 5% to 10% of people in the U.S. have a communication disorder. By the first grade, about 5% of U.S. children have a noticeable speech disorder. Early identification and intervention for hearing loss is important.

Audiologists are health care professionals who diagnose, manage, and treat hearing, balance, or ear problems. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults.

Here are some great resources if you think that your child may have a communication disorder or hearing issue:

• Find an Audiologist near you: https://find.asha.org/pro/#sort=relevancy&f:@provider=[Audiologist]

• Find a Speech-Language Pathologist near you: https://find.asha.org/pro/#sort=relevancy&f:@provider=[Speech-Language%20Pathologist]

• Infants and Toddlers: https://referral.mditp.org/MDITP.html

• MSDE Special Education Services: https://mdod.maryland.gov/education/Pages/Special-Education-Servcies.aspx
  

Some great resources are:

• https://www.asha.org/national-speech-language-hearing-month/#:~:text=Better%20Hearing%20and%20Speech%20Month,in%20providing%20life%2Daltering%20treatment.

• https://www.audiology.org/practice-resources/public-awareness/may-is-better-hearing-month/

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/features/better-hearing-and-speech-month/index.html

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/default.html

• https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240020481