Dear Parents:

It is very important for us all to recognize the early signs of a critical health issue: communication disorders. Speech, language, and hearing disorders are among the most common disabilities in the United States. May is Better Hearing and Speech Month; however, parents are encouraged to take stock of their child’s communication health throughout the year. Sometimes, problems achieving academically, or social or behavioral issues in school, may be the result of an undiagnosed speech or hearing disorder. It is important for parents to be attuned to the early warning signs of these conditions.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), through its Identify the Signs campaign, offers many resources to help parents learn about these disorders. Visit http://identifythesigns.org to learn more about what to watch for and treatment options.

Prevention, especially when it comes to noise-induced hearing loss, is of growing importance with skyrocketing use of personal audio technology among kids. Many children have access to smartphones, tablets, and other devices—and use these with accompanying headphones or earbuds at high volumes (and for long periods of time). One in five kids ages 12–19 is suffering from hearing loss, an increase of 31% since the late 1980s/early 1990s. Year-round, and especially during increased leisure time, it is important to impart safe listening habits to your children. These include listening at half volume and taking listening breaks. It is also key to demonstrate this behavior—practice what you preach. You can find helpful information from another ASHA resource, the Healthy Communication and Popular Technology Initiative, at https://communicationandtech.org.

If you have any concerns about your child’s speech, language or hearing, please feel free to contact us. We may be reached at the e-mail addresses provided in the above Staff Directory.

Sincerely,

Clay Community Schools

Speech-Language Pathology Staff