WASHINGTON, DC — The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) has announced the launch of Listen-Learn-Link, its international new parent hotline. The hotline is part of the organization’s Cradle to Career initiative, and offers a confidential resource for caregivers and guardians of children newly identified with hearing loss.
AG Bell says it designed the new bilingual (English/Spanish) hotline for parents, caregivers and guardians of newly identified children with hearing loss, worldwide, who possess any degree of hearing loss. The hotline connects parents via telephone, email and video conference to the organization’s Early Intervention Parent Consultant to help answer parents’ questions, provide hearing loss resources, information, support and offer next steps related to early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) and communication options for those with hearing loss.
“Having access to another parent who has traveled a similar road can be a lifesaver for new parents of a child with hearing loss. AG Bell is launching its new hotline so new parents, caregivers and guardians can have easy access to a parent who has had similar experiences and who also understands the systems and services that they will soon access for their own child and family,”
—Gayla Guignard, MA, CCC-A/SLP, LSL Cert. AVT, AG Bell Chief Strategy Officer
Parents, caregivers and guardians who call in to the hotline will be speaking to Julie Swaim, AG Bell’s early intervention parent consultant. As a parent whose child has hearing loss and a seven-year veteran in the EHDI field, Ms. Swaim is fully aware of the challenges associated with hearing loss in children as well as next steps needed to ensure they receive proper diagnosis and treatment.
According to the announcement, AG Bell partnered with hearing technology companies Cochlear and GN ReSound to help launch the new parent hotline as part of its new Cradle to Career initiative. The initiative is said to provide “continued support, resources, information and services for families, children and adults as they continue on their journey with hearing loss.”
“We are proud to partner with AG Bell on the new parent hotline. Learning your child has hearing loss can be overwhelming, and the hotline will help parents and caregivers feel connected and less alone”
–Patricia Trautwein, Audiologist and VP of Marketing and Product Management, Cochlear Americas
About the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) helps families, health care providers and education professionals understand childhood hearing loss and the importance of early diagnosis and intervention. Through advocacy, education and financial aid, AG Bell helps to ensure that every child and adult with hearing loss has the opportunity to listen, talk and live a life without limits. For more information visit: www.agbell.org.
