• Central South
  Blind & Low Vision
  Early Intervention
• Hamilton Preschool
  Speech and
  Language Program
• Central South
  Infant Hearing
  Program

Central South
Infant Hearing Program

TheCentral South Infant Hearing Program (IHP) serves communities in Brant, Haldimand-Norfolk, Hamilton and Niagara. The regional Infant Hearing Program office is located in Hamilton. The Central South IHP is part of a provincial system of 12 Infant Hearing Programs. Contact information for the other regional sites is available through the Ministry of Children and Youth Services website.

The first months and years of a baby’s life are very important for developing language. Undetected hearing loss is one of cause of delayed language development. Delayed language development can lead to behavioural and emotional problems and may later contribute to problems in school.

The Infant Hearing Program identifies and provides the needed services to young children born deaf or hard-of-hearing or at risk for developing a hearing impairment in early childhood. Most deaf and hard of hearing children whose hearing loss is identified early, and who receive the support they need, will have the same chance to develop language skills as hearing children.

There are three main components to the Infant Hearing Program:

• universal hearing screening
• audiology services
• communication development