Island Parent December 2020 / January 2021

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Healthy Families, Happy Families Child, Youth & Family Public Health South Island Health Units Esquimalt 250-519-5311 Gulf Islands 250-539-3099 (toll-free number for office in Saanichton) Peninsula 250-544-2400 Saanich 250-519-5100 Saltspring Island 250-538-4880 Sooke 250-519-3487 Victoria 250-388-2200 West Shore 250-519-3490 Central Island Health Units Duncan 250-709-3050 Ladysmith 250-755-3342 Lake Cowichan 250-749-6878 Nanaimo 250-755-3342 Nanaimo 250-739-5845 Princess Royal Parksville/Qualicum 250-947-8242 Port Alberni 250-731-1315 Tofino 250-725-4020 North Island Health Units Campbell River 250-850-2110 Courtenay 250-331-8520 Kyuquot Health Ctr 250-332-5289 ‘Namgis Health Ctr 250-974-5522 Port Hardy 250-902-6071 islandhealth.ca/our-locations/ health-unit-locations Changes with BC Medical Services Plan premiums mean that families eligible for partial payment of some medical services and access to some income-based programs now must apply for Supplementary Benefits through the Government of BC. Applications can be done online and take approximately 15 minutes. Families who previously qualified for MSP Premium Assistance should not need to re-apply if taxes are completed yearly. It is advised to confirm coverage before proceeding with treatment to avoid paying out of pocket. For more information, visit gov.bc.ca/gov/ content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/ bc-residents/benefits/services-covered-bymsp/supplementary-benefits HAPPYFAMILIESHEALTHYFAMILIES What to Know About Your Child’s Hearing Hearing in the first few years of life is essential for social, emotional, and cognitive development, and is critical for speech and language development. As a parent or caregiver, there are a few things you can look for when it comes to your child’s hearing. The hearing system starts to form around the 18th week of pregnancy, and continues until a baby is around 5 or 6 months of age. By about 22 to 24 weeks of pregnancy, a fetus starts to hear low-pitch sounds that are outside the womb, such as a dog barking. Later in the pregnancy, it can hear music, environmental noises, and voices. Some studies have shown that babies at birth recognize the patterns and sounds of their native language! After birth, a baby’s hearing continues to develop. The following milestones are useful when observing a baby or young child’s hearing. With older babies and toddlers, speech and language development can be a clue as to how a child is hearing. Birth to 3 months 4–6 months 7–12 months 12–18 months 18–24 months 2–3 years • Startles to loud sounds (coughing, door slamming) • Soothed by soft sounds (singing, familiar voice) • Turns eyes towards a sound or their name • Responds to “no” and changes in tone of voice • Begins to make different vocal noises (“ooh,” “ba-ba”) • Gets scared by a loud voice or noise • Enjoys toys that make noise (e.g. rattles) • Responds to their name and environmental sounds (e.g. phone ringing) • Turns head correctly to direction that sound is coming from • Knows common sayings (“bye-bye”) and words for common things (ball, cup) • Begins to respond to simple requests and questions (“Come here,”…“Where’s the toy?”) • Makes more babbling sounds • Pays attention when spoken to • Starts using common and meaningful words and putting words together • Points to some body parts and pictures in books • Looks at your face when talking and listening to you • Follows one-step commands (“Show Daddy”) • Understands simple yes/no questions (“Are you hungry?”) • Understands more words than they can say • Asks simple questions (“What’s that?”) • Takes turns in a conversation • Says two words together (“More milk,”… “Mommy up”) • Asks questions and answers simple questions (“Where is the ball?”) • Follows two-step directions (“Get the cup and put it on the table”) • Says sentences of three or more words • Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time • Enjoys music, television, etc at a normal level • Responds to speech at a typical conversational level 28 Island Parent Magazine IslandParent.ca
There are many reasons why infants and children can have hearing loss. Temporary hearing loss can be caused by fluid in the middle ear (the space behind the eardrum), or wax build up in the ear canal. Most of the time, these resolve on their own or with medical help, and hearing returns to normal. Some causes of permanent hearing loss that is present from birth include: • Genetics (e.g. gene for hearing loss inherited from a parent, or a syndrome such as Pendred or Down Syndrome) • Cleft palate • Infection during pregnancy or delivery (e.g. cytomegalovirus) • Birth complications (e.g. lack of oxygen at birth) • Very low birth weight Some causes of permanent hearing loss that is acquired during childhood include: • Diseases (e.g. meningitis, mumps) • Some medications (e.g. chemotherapy) • Noise exposure Some hearing issues can develop even without risk factors. Middle ear infections are one of the most common health conditions of young children. More than 75 per cent of children experience at least one ear infection by age three. Signs younger children may show are tugging/ pulling at their ears, fussiness, changes in appetite and sleeping patterns, fever, fluid draining from the ear, and/or a noticeable change in hearing ability. It is important to protect little ears from loud noise exposure, which can cause permanent hearing damage. Be careful when choosing toys for young children. Some batterypowered toys for babies and toddlers can make sound loud enough to damage hearing, especially as young children may hold a toy close to their ear. Look for onoff switches and volume controls if the toy does create sound. With more time spent at home during Covid-19, many of us find ourselves using devices and watching movies with our children. It is important to model good listening behaviour for our children by keeping our televisions, sound systems, and personal listening devices at a comfortable level. Talk to your children from a young age about protecting their ears. Wear hearing protection when using loud tools at home and when going to loud environments, such as sporting events or concerts. Get a pair of child-sized, noisereducing earmuffs that you can help your child put on when at loud events. Children may appear to have difficulty hearing when listening to someone wearing a mask. This may be normal, as speech can sound muffled through a mask and we cannot see someone’s mouth to get lipreading cues. However, if you feel that your child is having excessive difficulty, you should arrange for your child’s hearing to be tested. All babies born in BC get a newborn hearing screening shortly after birth as part of the BC Early Hearing Program. Babies on Vancouver Island who do not pass the first screening will be referred for a hearing assessment at an Island Health Hearing Clinic. Babies with risk factors for hearing loss are also monitored at these clinics. Children on Vancouver Island will also get a hearing screening at school during their kindergarten year. Your child will receive further assessment at an Island Health Hearing Clinic if hearing is not within normal limits. Parents and caregivers are the best people to look for signs of hearing loss in their child. If you have any concern about your child’s hearing, arrange a hearing assessment through your physician or by contacting your local Island Health Hearing Clinic: Victoria 250-388-2250 West Shore 250-519-3490 Nanaimo 250-755-6269 Courtenay 250-331-8526 Alison Love, M.Sc., RAUD, RHIP, is an audiologist with the Vancouver Island Health Authority. CHILD YOUTH & FAMILY PUBLIC HEALTH IslandParent.ca December 2020 / January 2021 29
Page 1 and 2: DEC 2020 / JAN 2021 Vancouver Islan
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Page 5 and 6: If Life Is an Etch A Sketch… 2020
Page 7 and 8: Prose for the Pandemic BC Transit
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Page 23 and 24: So, how is it done? How can we poss
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Page 40: St. Margaret's School www.stmarg.ca

Island Parent December 2020 / January 2021

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