Organization giving a voice to deaf children

Canada celebrates speech and hearing month in May, but did you know deaf kids can talk?

Babies are being screened at birth for hearing loss in most (not all) provinces of Canada today.

When identified early and given access to hearing technology and auditoryverbal therapy, the majority of children born with hearing loss today will learn to talk.

In Ontario, the lack of available health and school supports are obstacles that hinder their success.

Cochlear implants are funded by the Ministry of Health in Ontario but not all hospitals provide the auditory verbal rehabilitation needed to learn to listen with these technical devices. Our charity, VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children pays the way. Parents help with fundraising where the Health Ministry has dropped the ball.

School boards do not have equitable access to trained Teachers of the Deaf who understand the challenges faced by children who use hearing technology - funding is to blame.

VOICE is committed to continue to assure that deaf kids have the supports and services they need to be included in a hearing world.

Help us to send a loud and clear message - deaf kids can talk - with the right supports and services we can give them a VOICE for life.

To speak with a representative of VOICE or to be referred to a family or auditory verbal professional in your community, contact Norah-Lynn McIntyre, executive director, nlmcintyre@ voicefordeafkids.com or Anita Bernstein, director of therapy services 416-487 7719 866-779-5144.