A hearing conservation program is part of a total school health program. It includes student education in devices and behaviors to prevent hearing loss; state-mandated screening procedures; treatment of professionally diagnosed cases; proper educational placement; and rehabilitation when necessary. Methods of carrying out individual programs will depend upon the availability of personnel and facilities in schools and local communities.

The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) provides assistance to hearing screening programs. The goal of the VHSS Program is to detect hearing disorders in children aged 4-18 years and refer them for appropriate follow-up. Workshops are held around the state to train interested individuals to perform basic hearing screening.

There is no charge for training. Please contact your regional coordinator for more information.

Hearing screening is a brief test designed to determine whether a person’s hearing falls within the normal range. Screening answers only one question: Does the person show possible problems that indicate the need for further assessment? Hearing screening is a quick and cost-effective way to determine who in a group may have hearing loss and needs a more detailed hearing evaluation by a primary care provider or a qualified professional. (For more information, visit the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website at http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Hearing-Testing/.)

Hearing loss is often not detectable by simple observation. Many times, children with undetected hearing loss fail to respond as expected. Teachers, parents, and peers grow impatient with their undiagnosed impaired hearing, sometimes labeling them as slow to learn, inattentive, or vague. Such “problem children” may appear over-aggressive or uninterested in school.

Screening is a way to identify children who may have hearing loss. After the identification process is complete, an analysis of existing resources will determine which necessary follow-up services are available locally.

DSHS screening procedures will not detect all medical problems or identify all children with hearing difficulties, especially those with marginal losses. Hearing screening is a simple, nondiagnostic procedure that tells only whether a child may have a hearing problem. Screening by a properly trained individual should identify which children need referral to their primary physician for further examination, evaluation, and treatment. Other vital components of a hearing screening program include follow-up and documentation of referrals

1. Identify children who may have hearing loss. 
2. Refer these children for professional examinations and needed health services. 
3. Follow up on referrals to support any recommendations. 
4. Inform teachers about any confirmed hearing difficulty.

1. Provide a quiet place for screening.
2. Maintain proper calibration of the audiometer.
3. Use trained screeners and accepted techniques.

4. Provide referrals and follow-up for children who fail their hearing screening.

    

For hearing screening, the results of the pure-tone audiometric Sweep-Check Screen must be recorded for both the right and left ears. A Sweep-Check Screen is to be conducted at an intensity less than or equal to 25 dB; at the following frequencies: 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hertz.

Attention: Students with Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids

Students with cochlear implants:

• Do not screen them. Contact the child’s parent or legal guardian to update their health records. Verify whether the child is being seen by a Licensed Professional or follow through with the referral process if no recent health records are available.

Students with Hearing Aids:

• Do not screen children with bilateral hearing aids. If one hearing aid, screen only the ear with no hearing aid. If the child fails, follow up with the parent before referral. Follow the same steps to update the child’s health records. Support any additional considerations for the child in the facility, if needed.

Refer to the Hearing Screening Manual for more information related to the procedure and technique for performing screening.