A Unique Approach to Addressing Pediatric Hearing Loss in Low-Resource Countries: Invited Commentary

Many studies have shown that excellent listening and spoken language outcomes are possible in babies and young children with hearing loss when they have access to a Continuum of Care in the first years of life. This Continuum of Care includes: (1) early identification of hearing loss, (2) family support and engagement, (3) timely fitting of hearing technology, and (4) the support of local professionals trained in audiology, auditory-verbal therapy, and early intervention. Families in low-resource countries face many limitations and challenges in accessing the essential services and support within this Continuum of Care to enable their babies and young children with hearing loss to listen, speak, and reach their full potential. This article discusses some of the issues faced by low-resource countries and describes the approach of the Global Foundation For Children With Hearing Loss to help strengthen care in collaboration with local partners.