By Michelle A. Veyvoda, PhD, CCC-SLP, and Michael Higgins, AuD, CCC-A
As school districts nationwide grapple with re-entry concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, the most basic needs of some of our most vulnerable children may be overlooked. One such population is children with hearing loss. While some attend schools for the deaf and other specialized settings, increasing numbers of children with hearing loss attend their local schools. And since hearing loss is a low-incidence disability, re-opening procedures may not take into account the specific needs of these children.
Two of the most likely safety protocols teachers can anticipate include social distancing and the wearing of masks or face coverings. While helpful to prevent viral spread, both of these protocols will cause difficulties for young deaf and hard of hearing children in a classroom.
Michelle A. Veyvoda, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an assistant professor of speech-language pathology at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. She has over 15 years of experience working with deaf/hard of hearing children, and teaches courses in American Sign Language and aural rehabilitation.
Michael Higgins, AuD, CCC-A, is a visiting professor at Iona College. He has been an Audiologist for 20 years and has worked with individuals who have hearing loss in the school, hospital, and private practice settings.
