Bringing Hearing Care to Preschoolers in NYC and Florida
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Michele DiStefano, Director of Audiology
What if a child’s hearing challenges could be identified before they ever struggle in the classroom?
That’s the goal of Project PATH (Preschool Access to Hearing)—a vital outreach initiative from the Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC) that brings professional hearing screenings directly to preschoolers in New York City and Broward County, Florida. Funded by generous private foundations and individual donors, Project PATH is provided at no cost to participating families.
Since its launch in 2005, Project PATH has focused on serving children in Head Start programs and preschools in communities that might otherwise lack access to care. When the New York City Department of Education eliminated its school-based hearing screening program in 2009, Project PATH became even more essential.
Why Early Hearing Screening Matters
Five to six out of every thousand babies are born with permanent hearing loss, and nearly twice that number will develop hearing loss by first grade. Even mild hearing loss can cause a child to miss up to 50% of what’s said in a classroom—affecting speech, literacy, learning, and social development.
Project PATH ensures that children don’t fall through the cracks.
How Project PATH Works
CHC’s highly trained pediatric audiologists conduct initial hearing screenings in a quiet space at participating preschools. The screening uses otoacoustic emissions (OAE) technology—a simple, child-friendly test that measures how the inner ear responds to sound.
If a child does not pass the first screening, a follow-up screening is conducted—often aboard CHC’s fully equipped mobile hearing van. If needed, a full diagnostic evaluation is completed either immediately on the van, or at another time onsite in the Center, allowing families to receive clear answers without much delay.
The evaluation determines:
Whether a hearing loss is present
The type (conductive or sensorineural)
The degree of hearing loss
Appropriate next steps for treatment
For children whose families cannot afford hearing aids, Project PATH may provide amplification support through philanthropic funding.
Education and Ongoing Support
Project PATH goes beyond screenings. The program also provides education for teachers and parents about the signs of childhood hearing loss, its impact on development, and available treatments. Educators learn how to recognize listening challenges and provide classroom accommodations when needed.
Each year, the program aims to screen hundreds of children—many of whom would not otherwise receive testing.
Expanding Access: NYC and Beyond
Project PATH is currently underway across New York City and Broward County, Florida, expanding access to early hearing detection in communities where it is most needed.
Early identification changes outcomes. With timely intervention and appropriate support, children with hearing loss can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Bring Project PATH to Your Community
If you are a preschool director, educator, or community leader interested in having CHC’s mobile hearing unit visit your school, we encourage you to contact us. Together, we can ensure that more children have the opportunity to hear clearly, learn confidently, and succeed from the very start.
