February 23, 2024
Cynthia, baby Eddie and Steven Tse strike a happy family pose. Eddie, although diagnosed with congenital hearing loss at birth, now receives the supports he needs thanks to the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program. "It’s only because of screening that we caught Eddie's hearing loss," says dad Steven. "It feels good knowing we intercepted this early and were able to give him the best start in life." Photo supplied.
Story by Vanessa Gomez
CALGARY — Many areas of child and brain development rely upon hearing — and detecting hearing loss early can prevent delays in speech, learning and social skills.
The Tse family discovered this firsthand, and had to make a few adjustments when their son, Eddie, was diagnosed with congenital hearing loss at birth.
“Our older son, Zach, was not born with hearing loss, so the news was shocking,” says dad Steven Tse, “It took us a while to wrap our heads around this new situation.”
Alberta’s Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Program screens newborns for permanent hearing loss as early as possible. It’s offered in all NICUs, most hospital or birth centre postpartum units and many community health centres. It’s best to have screen babies before they’re a month old.
“Without screening, it can be hard to tell if your baby has hearing loss,” says Dr. Huiming Yang, Medical Director of Screening Programs. “The earlier hearing loss is found, the sooner your baby will have the care and support needed to help them reach all their developmental milestones.”
Armed with new information about hearing loss, the Tse family sought the resources they needed, with the support of their healthcare provider, to give Eddie his best head start.
“Everyone along the way was kind and supportive and they answered all our questions,” says Steven. “We’ve been given so much help getting through it.”
Mom Sylvia adds: “Eddie has mild hearing loss in his left ear and moderate hearing loss in the right. They recommended hearing aids, so we went to several appointments for ear mold fittings and calibration. It took a few months for him to adapt and for us to ensure he kept them on.”
With his new ‘ears’, Eddie is curious about the world around him as he learns from big brother Zach as well as his cousins. As they play, Zach is gentle with him and knows to keep the volume low on their TV or other devices. Eddie loves to babble now — a milestone in speech-language and hearing development, for children his age.
The Tse family would like more families to know how important screening is for their baby’s growth.
“It’s only because of screening that we caught Eddie’s hearing loss,” says Steven. “It feels good knowing we intercepted this early and were able to give him the best start in life.
“Life is going to change, but the support is great along the way. We’re armed with the equipment and knowledge we need to support Eddie and make him proud of his ‘ears’.”
World Hearing Day is March 3. Learn more about screening and the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program.
