This year, for the first time, the Better Hearing Institute is teaming up with CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) to help raise awareness of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder during AD/HD Awareness Week, September 13 through 17.
BHI is urging hearing health professionals to participate in this important outreach effort. Studies show that hearing loss, Auditory Processing Disorders (APD), and other communication disorders frequently coexist with AD/HD and other cognitive disorders. What's more, children struggling with undiagnosed hearing loss and/or APD often exhibit similar behavior characteristics as those with AD/HD. When left unaddressed, both AD/HD and hearing health issues can jeopardize a child's academic performance, social development, and self esteem.
AD/HD is the most commonly diagnosed neurobehavioral disorder in children in the United States today, affecting as many as 3 to 7 percent of school-aged children. CHADD is the nation's leading non-profit organization serving individuals with AD/HD and their families.
With the start of the 2010/2011 school year BHI strongly encourages hearing health professionals to join us in ensuring that parents and educators get the information they need to help America's youth overcome AD/HD and any co-existing hearing health issues. By promoting AD/HD Awareness Week, we will make parents, teachers, educators, and communities aware of the symptoms of AD/HD and of the long-term implications on a child's life if left unaddressed.
Moreover, we will help underscore the importance of ruling out hearing loss and APD when making a careful and accurate AD/HD diagnosis. And we will encourage appropriate treatment by a hearing health professional, when hearing loss and/or APD co-exist with AD/HD.
There are a number of ways you can join in the effort:
- Disseminate information on AD/HD, including BHI's backgrounder on AD/HD and hearing health
- Issue a press release customized for your practice
- Send information through listservs.
- Hang posters in prominent locations such as your office, library, local mall, or church.
