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Hearing needs of hearing-impaired kids | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal
Santa Rosa County’s deaf and partially deaf students are about to get some sound attention.
The district’s first audiology clinic has been set up in a renovated classroom at Bennett C. Russell Elementary School in Milton.
“We had no place to follow up on students who failed screenings or to maintain hearing aids,” said Jackie Jones, program facilitator and teacher for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing program. “We had to send students to Pensacola for audiological evaluations, and that was difficult for families.”
The open house for the Santa Rosa County Audiology Clinic is Tuesday.
“We are trying to provide better services to the deaf and hard-of-hearing population that has been identified, and we hope to identify more,” said Dr. Nancy Hirsch, the district’s part-time audiologist.
The clinic has a sound-proof booth, an audiologist area, equipment for programming hearing aids and a waiting area. It cost about $200,000, which came from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds awarded to the Exceptional Student Education Department.
“This is super cool,” Pamela Lucas said of the clinic.
Lucas’ son, Hayden, a fifth-grader at Holley-Navarre Intermediate School, was examined Thursday.
“Hayden kept fluid behind his ears, and tubes were put in to help,” she said. “He is an A/B student and has never been diagnosed as hearing impaired.”
After the evaluation, Hirsch told Lucas she has some concern about Hayden’s right ear.
“It’s time for a trial with amplification in the right ear,” Hirsch said.
The Escambia County School District has had an audiology clinic but opened a state-of-the-art one this year at Holm Elementary School for its 93 deaf and hard-of-hearing students. That clinic’s open house is Nov. 29.
Santa Rosa County has 50 to 53 hearing-impaired students.
“Last year, the Santa Rosa County Health Department did hearing screenings, and 96 students failed,” Jones said. “With the clinic, we now have a good system to follow up with free evaluations.”
Santa Rosa students who need services will have them at their schools, said Linda Novota, Exceptional Student Education director.
“The earlier on we can get children hearing what they should hear, the better they are going to learn,” Novota said.
Santa Rosa County’s deaf and partially deaf students are about to get some sound attention.
The district’s first audiology clinic has been set up in a renovated classroom at Bennett C. Russell Elementary School in Milton.
“We had no place to follow up on students who failed screenings or to maintain hearing aids,” said Jackie Jones, program facilitator and teacher for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing program. “We had to send students to Pensacola for audiological evaluations, and that was difficult for families.”
The open house for the Santa Rosa County Audiology Clinic is Tuesday.
“We are trying to provide better services to the deaf and hard-of-hearing population that has been identified, and we hope to identify more,” said Dr. Nancy Hirsch, the district’s part-time audiologist.
The clinic has a sound-proof booth, an audiologist area, equipment for programming hearing aids and a waiting area. It cost about $200,000, which came from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds awarded to the Exceptional Student Education Department.
“This is super cool,” Pamela Lucas said of the clinic.
Lucas’ son, Hayden, a fifth-grader at Holley-Navarre Intermediate School, was examined Thursday.
“Hayden kept fluid behind his ears, and tubes were put in to help,” she said. “He is an A/B student and has never been diagnosed as hearing impaired.”
After the evaluation, Hirsch told Lucas she has some concern about Hayden’s right ear.
“It’s time for a trial with amplification in the right ear,” Hirsch said.
The Escambia County School District has had an audiology clinic but opened a state-of-the-art one this year at Holm Elementary School for its 93 deaf and hard-of-hearing students. That clinic’s open house is Nov. 29.
Santa Rosa County has 50 to 53 hearing-impaired students.
“Last year, the Santa Rosa County Health Department did hearing screenings, and 96 students failed,” Jones said. “With the clinic, we now have a good system to follow up with free evaluations.”
Santa Rosa students who need services will have them at their schools, said Linda Novota, Exceptional Student Education director.
“The earlier on we can get children hearing what they should hear, the better they are going to learn,” Novota said.
