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Frequently Asked Questions About the Hearing & Vision Program
Where can I go for an office appointment?
Is there a charge for hearing or vision screening?
Do you have physicians on staff?
Who does the screening?
What is the hearing and vision state mandate?
What grades are screened?
How is hearing screening performed?
How is vision screening performed?
Will I be notified of my child's hearing or vision screening results done in the schools?
Does my child need hearing and vision screening for Kindergarten entry?
My doctor has recommended a hearing screening for my 2-year-old. Who do I call for that?
How can I tell if my child may have a hearing problem?
How can I tell if my infant/toddler may have a hearing problem?
How can I tell if my child may have a vision problems?
Where can I go for an office appointment?
There are three offices available for hearing and vision screening appointments: the Southfield Office, the Pontiac Office and the Walled Lake Office. See the Contact the Health Division section for addressess.
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Is there a charge for hearing or vision screening?
No.
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Do you have physicians on staff?
No.
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Who does the screening?
The individuals who conduct the screening are called Public Health Technicians. All Public Health Technicians complete a Michigan Department of Community Health Hearing or Vision Screening Technician Training Course. To maintain their excellent screening skills, they attend an annual MDCH Skills Workshop. They are a dedicated staff who provide Hearing and Vision screening to over 150,000 children each school year.
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What is the hearing and vision state mandate?
The Public Health Code 368 of 1978 mandates local health departments to provide free periodic hearing and vision screening to preschool and school-age children within their jurisdiction.
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What grades are screened?
Hearing screens four year old preschoolers, kindergarten, second and fourth graders.
Vision screens four year old preschoolers, first, third, fifth and seventh graders and driver education students.
Ungraded educational programs are screened for hearing and vision every other year.
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How is hearing screening performed?
A calibrated pure tone audiometer is used. Tones are presented through headphones.
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How is vision screening performed?
An age appropriate vision screening instrument is used to screen for eye muscle imbalance and clearness of vision.
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Will I be notified of my child's hearing or vision screening results done in the schools?
You will be notified by the Hearing and Vision Office only if your child does not pass the screening.
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Does my child need hearing and vision screening for Kindergarten entry?
Vision screening is required for kindergarten entry in Oakland County schools. Hearing screening is provided in the schools for kindergarten students.
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My doctor has recommended a hearing screening for my 2-year-old. Who do I call for that?
Call your local school district's Special Education Department and ask for the Early On Program, or tell them that you want your two year old's hearing evaluated.
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How can I tell if my child may have a hearing problem?
Some indications that your child may be experiencing hearing problems are:
- Radio or TV needs to be loud.
- History of earaches or drainage from the ears.
- Child often asks others to repeat questions and conversation.
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How can I tell if my infant/toddler may have a hearing problem?
Some indications that your infant/toddler may be experiencing hearing problems are:
- Infant does not startle at loud noise.
- At 5 months of age, child does not turn to look for source of sound.
- 2 year-old does not identify pictures.
- 2 year-old does not put two words together.
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How can I tell if my child may have a vision problems?
It is not always easy to tell. Many young children do not realize there is a problem; they think everyone sees that way. Some signs to look for are:
- Redness or frequent tearing of the eyes.
- Squinting or closing one eye while trying to see something.
- Head tilting or positioning while trying to see something.
- Frequent complaints of headaches, dizziness or of eyes "hurting" or "itching."
- Physical observations, such as eyes appearing "crossed" or wandering or even droopy eye lids.
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