Service provision under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act--Part H, as amended (IDEA--Part H) to children who are deaf and hard of hearing ages birth to 36 months. Joint Committee of ASHA and Council on Education of the Deaf.

Since positive family-child relationships are initially established during the first 3 years, it is imperative that service providers focus their efforts on the family unit, as well as on the child. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act--Part H, as amended (IDEA--Part H), supports this concept and has mandated development of an IFSP for each infant and toddler and his or her family eligible for early intervention services. The confirmed diagnosis of hearing loss for a child may have long-term effects on the family. Usually children who are deaf or hard of hearing are born into families with normal-hearing parents and siblings who have limited knowledge of the implications of hearing loss. In addition, parents may go through stages of grieving after learning that their child is deaf or hard of hearing (Luterman, 1979; Moses, 1985). Early experiences with adults who are deaf or hard-of-hearing parents who have deaf or hard-of-hearing children and other support services are essential. The effects of hearing loss on communication may interfere with parent-child interaction, especially when the primary communication system of the child and family are different. The following areas are those in which a family may benefit from consultation, information, and education: 1. Immediate and easy access to a professional who can help them understand the hearing loss and its potential effects, both long and short term 2. Immediate and ongoing access to deaf and hard-of-hearing adults and children and their families 3. Immediate and ongoing access to professionals who can help facilitate the development of effective parent-child interaction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)