On May 20, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. 366) recognizing May 2004 as “National Better Hearing and Speech Month.” Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) sponsored the resolution.
According to the resolution, “The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that approximately 28 million people in the United States experience hearing loss or have a hearing impairment.” Pointing out that hearing loss is one of the most common congenital birth defects, the resolution states that a delay in the diagnosis of hearing loss “can affect the social, emotional, and academic development of the child.” The resolution also notes that the average age at which most newborns are diagnosed is between 12 to 25 months.
Sen. Coleman stated, “Despite the necessity of hearing to success, one third of all newborns leave the hospital without having their hearing tested. As a result, thirty-three babies are born each day with hearing loss, making deafness the most common birth defect in American.” He added, “It doesn’t have to be like this. Study after study has shown that through regular testing and early treatment, hearing loss can be prevented not only in infants, but in adults as well.”
