Highlighting Supports for Children with Hearing Loss in Huron and Perth
September 23, 2025
Each September, International Week of Deaf People and the International Day of Sign Languages highlight the importance of communication, inclusion, and accessibility for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. This year, the World Federation of the Deaf is marking the week with the theme: “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights.” The theme emphasizes the essential role of sign language in guaranteeing access to human rights, education, and full participation in society.
This message aligns with the work of smallTALK Preschool Speech and Language Services, which is managed through the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance and provides services through a total of eight hospitals in Huron and Perth Counties, in conjunction with the Southwest Infant Hearing Program. At smallTALK, families are supported in choosing the communication path that best fits their child, whether that’s verbal language, American Sign Language (ASL), or a combination of approaches.
Following birth, all infants are screened with the universal newborn hearing screening, which takes place in the hospital pre-discharge or in the community. After the screening, if an infant is identified with a hearing loss, the following may be recommended:
- Re-assessment of high-risk infants ("surveillance")
- Amplification (i.e., hearing instrument) prescription and verification
- Provide information and support to families with infants diagnosed with permanent hearing loss.
- Service options to enhance language development
Depending on the family’s preference, a child may be connected with a Preschool Speech and Language Program, such as smallTALK, if verbal communication is selected as the main form of communication, or the family may be connected with therapists from the Robarts School for the Deaf home-visiting program to focus on bilingual services in American Sign Language and English.
“Our goal is to ensure that families feel supported from the very beginning,” says Julie Brown, Manager, smallTALK Preschool Speech and Language Initiative. “Every child deserves the opportunity to develop language and communication skills, and every family deserves the information and resources to make the choice that’s best for them.”
Clinicians at smallTALK work in collaboration with audiologists, family support workers and social workers through the Infant Hearing Program to provide speech and language supports. While they do not train families in American Sign Language, they encourage a multimodal approach (verbal language, signs/gestures, use of pictures) to support language development. The team also includes clinicians trained in Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) for those clients with cochlear implants using verbal language.
As we recognize International Week of Deaf People and the International Day of Sign Languages, we celebrate the many pathways to communication and the right of every child and family to choose the approach that works best for them.
For More Information:
smallTALK is the Preschool Speech and Language Program for families in Huron and Perth counties. It is a free service and is a self-refer program.
Contact: 519-272-8216 or 1.866.333.7716
TVCC is the lead agency and coordinator of the Infant Hearing Program for the Southwest region.
Contact: 1.877.818.8255
https://infanthearingprogram.com/
Learn more about the Ministry’s Infant Hearing Program
https://www.ontario.ca/page/infant-hearing-program