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[Maternal and Infant Health Section]
Canadian Working Group on Childhood Hearing
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The Canadian Working Group on Childhood Hearing (CWGCH) is committed
to the following guiding principles:
National Role: Providing leadership in the development
and dissemination of guidelines for early hearing detection and intervention
in Canada.
Evidence-based Approach: An evidence-based approach to
the development of guidelines for early hearing detection and intervention,
through the systematic review of currently available research and program
information.
Family-centred Approach: An integrated approach to families,
reflecting an understanding of the physical, emotional, mental and psychosocial
aspects of hearing detection and intervention for children with hearing
impairment and their families.
Partnership and Collaboration: Working in partnership with
various stakeholders, including federal, provincial and territorial governments;
professional associations; consumers/parents; and national and international
experts in otolaryngology, audiology, speech-language pathology, nursing,
child health and public health. Fostering collaboration between all stakeholders
to build on experiences, create linkages and provide opportunities for
further capacity building and promotion of best practices in hearing detection
and intervention.
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The Canadian Working Group on Childhood
Hearing (CWGCH) was established in September 2000 by Health Surveillance and Epidemiology Division, Centre for Healthy Human Development, as part of Health
Canada's on-going commitment to perinatal and child health in Canada. The
mandate of the CWGCH is to develop guidelines for early hearing detection
and intervention to address the needs of children with hearing loss and
their families in Canada.
Permanent childhood hearing impairment affects approximately 1 to 6 babies
per 1,000 live births and up to 1 in 50 among infants in neonatal intensive
care units.1-3 Targeted screening of high risk children (e.g.,
those with a family history or a medical risk factor) is estimated to identify
only 50% of children with severe hearing impairment.3,4 For
children who are not screened routinely or through a targeted program,
severe hearing impairment can go undetected in the majority for up to 3
years, the most critical period of language development. On the other hand,
children with hearing impairment who are identified early and who subsequently
receive appropriate intervention have a significantly improved chance of
developing age-appropriate language and communication skills.5
A 1999 national survey funded by Health Canada found that only 10% of birthing
hospitals in Canada reported having a newborn hearing screening program.6
There is growing awareness and dialogue at the federal level and among
selected provincial governments, professional health associations, educators
and other stakeholders about early hearing detection and intervention as
an important public health issue. The CWGCH brings together various stakeholders
to ensure a coordinated national approach to the issue.
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The CWGCH includes representation from Health Surveillance and Epidemiology Division and the Childhood and Youth Division, Centre for Healthy Human Development,
Health Canada; the Canadian Academy of Audiology; the Canadian Association
of Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; the Canadian Association of
Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists; the Canadian Paediatric Society;
the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery; the Childhood
Hearing Network of Canada; the College of Family Physicians of Canada; selected
experts in otolaryngology, audiology, speech-language pathology, nursing,
child health and public health; and a parent/consumer representative.
To achieve its mandate, the main activities of the CWGCH include:
- A review of current practices and services in Canada, in relation to early
hearing detection and intervention for children with hearing loss.
- Preparing and systematically reviewing relevant information on early hearing
detection and intervention to provide an evidence-based approach to the development
of national guidelines.
- Organizing a national workshop on Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
in Canada to provide a forum for federal, provincial and territorial
governments and healthcare professionals, educators and consumers to contribute
towards the development of guidelines for early hearing detection and intervention.
- Facilitating the dissemination and implementation of the guidelines for
early hearing detection and intervention.
Reference
1. Hyde ML, Riko K, Corbin H, Moroso M, Alberti PW. A neonatal hearing screening
research program using brainstem electric response audiometry. J Otolaryngol.
1984; 13:49-54.
2. Durieux-Smith A, Picton TW, Edwards CG, MacMurray B, Goodman JT. Brainstem
electric-response audiometry in infants of a neonatal intensive care unit.
Audiology. 1987; 26:284-97.
3. Watkins P, Baldwin M, McEnery G. Neonatal at risk screening and the identification
of deafness. Arch Dis Child. 1991; 66:1130-5.
4. Durieux-Smith A, Whittingham J. Rationale for neonatal hearing screening.
JSLPA. 2000 (In press).
5. Yoshinaga-Itano C, Sedey AL, Coulter DK, Mehl AL. Language of early-
and late-identified children with hearing loss. Pediatrics. 1998; 102:1161-71.
6. Brown DK, Dort JC, Sauvé R. Newborn hearing screening programs:
A truly Canadian perspective. JSLPA. 2000 (In press).
Requests for additional information on the CWGCH may be sent to:
Canadian Working Group on Childhood Hearing
Maternal and Infant Health Section
Health Surveillance & Epidemiology Division
Jeanne Mance Building # 19, 10th Floor, A.L. 1910C
Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9
(E-mail: CWGCH@hc-sc.gc.ca)
La présente fiche d'information est également disponible en
français.
February 2001
[Maternal and Infant Health Section]
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