Utah EHDI Family Support and Information

Home
United States
Murray, UT
Utah EHDI Family Support and Information

We provide resources and unbiased support to families of Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children in Utah. The internet is full of information. Everyone is welcome here!

The EHDI team will use this page to connect with parents, share events and resources, and help other families to connect with one another! This page is a way for Utah EHDI to share their resources to help parents find quality information about all aspects of having a deaf or heard of hearing child.Whether your child was newly diagnosed or you are a family with older Deaf and Heard of Hearing child

ren this page is for you! We will offer ongoing information, training, parent perspectives/support, and a one stop shop for things happening in the community. The EHDI team's goal is to support parents of deaf children regardless of communication mode, amplification choices, label, or diagnosis. On this page you will find resources and information that support all modes and methods. We invite you to use this page to bind together as a community rather than find what divides us. The contact information provided is a direct link to our parent consultants. Our parent consultants have deaf or heard of hearing kiddos of their own and are happy to provide information and support directly to families! Welcome to the EHDI Parents Support and Information Page! We hope you find valuable information here, feel comfortable asking questions, and find other parents with whom you can make a lasting connection!

09/04/2026

This week we are spotlighting !

Jared is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adult). Both his Mom and Dad are Deaf and his first and home language was American Sign Language.

On Jared's page he posts about his life and family, sign performs popular songs, and reviews American Sign Language vocabulary.

Check out his recent post where he teaches local Utah mascot Cosmo the Cougar some signs!

09/03/2026

Did you know cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus, especially in young children? Even though it is common, when most people get CMV there are often no signs or symptoms. However, if a pregnant woman gets CMV it can be passed to the unborn baby. This is known as congenital CMV (cCMV). Babies born with cCMV can develop conditions such as brain abnormalities, vision loss, and/or hearing loss.

Since CMV is so common among young children, pregnant women who work with young children or who already have young children are at greatest risk of contracting CMV. As the school year starts and young children start preschool and/or daycare, this is important to know as CMV is commonly spread in these settings.

If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, you can reduce your risk by:

-Washing your hands frequently, especially after changing a diaper or wiping a child’s nose or mouth.
-Avoiding contact with saliva. For example, kiss your child on the forehead instead of on the lips.
-Do not share food, utensils, drinks, or straw.
-Do not put a pacifier in your mouth. Use other methods, such as rinsing in water, to clean it.

Have questions about cCMV? Visit cmv.utah.gov and nationalcmv.org to learn more.

09/02/2026

Here is a post from .bloom that helps explain about a sign name:

"Do you know what a sign name is? 🤟

It’s a unique part of Deaf culture that many ASL learners don’t know about. Swipe to learn what a sign name is and why it’s so meaningful."

09/01/2026

Bullying prevention in kids with hearing loss- what can we do? Here are some suggestions from :

"Practice answering "What are those?" - People are curious and will ask. This practice will start with the parents. No one watches those videos of kids with hearing loss hearing for the first time and thinks "oh that poor baby" - quite the opposite! People are going to be excited and supportive once they know.
📖
Read books about kids with hearing loss to your child. Share them with their teachers who can then share them with the class.
📚

For parents and professionals Karen Anderson has a book called "Building Self-Confidence & Resilience to Maximize Acceptance for Hearing Devices" which has tips for early attachment beginning at birth to age 3.
👂
Discuss differences. Everyone is different. Normal does not exist. What makes us different makes us special. What challenges us makes us strong and resilient. I especially suggest this to parents of older kids who are rejecting their devices. Share an experience with them of a challenge in your life and how you overcame it.
👂
Do a Show and Tell for the class about hearing loss, hearing devices, and communication tips. This is great to do at the beginning of the school year. Have time for the students to ask questions. Once you take away the unknown of the mysterious devices it's no longer interesting or a topic of conversation.
👂
Inservice the class peers. Your DHH teacher can discuss hearing and being a good listener. There's great tips on successforkidswithhearingloss.com like letting the child with hearing loss shine by having the teacher walk away and whisper a question into the FM/DM system that the rest of the class cannot hear but the child using the system can answer.
👂
Find friends and mentors with hearing loss. Make sure your child knows other kids with hearing loss that wear devices like them! If there's no kids in your child's school ask your audiologist to connect you to another family."

08/31/2026

Are you thinking about starting your child in a sport this Fall? Here are 5 tips from to help your child have a successful season:

1. Connect with the coach before the first practice.
2. Learn the rules of the game ahead of time
3. Practice the vocabulary of the sport
4. Explore different types of gear to wear so hearing devices stay on and are working. Think: helmets, headbands, swim caps, and sweatbands!
5. Team up with one of your child's friends so they can play and practice together.

08/28/2026

This week we are spotlighting !

Ison lives in Wyoming and is an actor and Vice President of Montana Rio hat company.

For more than two decades he grew up on working ranches, helping his father with various tasks. Through these years he especially learned the trade of hat making after watching his father build world class handcrafted Buckaroo hats. While he is in pursuit of his career as a professional actor, he is also strategically engaged with Montana Rio’s marketing and advertising department.

Recently Ison was in the news here in Utah after he was denied disability-accessible seating and an American Sign Language interpreter for Post Malone's stadium show in 2025 at the University of Utah.

Nearly a year later after legal proceedings the University agreed to improve its Americans with Disabilities (ADA) training and tickets sales. On July 28, 2026 he was able to see this training put into place at the Post Malone show.

Check out his page to learn more about Ison!

08/27/2026

This weeks Deaf/ Hard of Hearing related question is:

What is a Deaf Itinerant/ Outreach Teacher?

~A Deaf Itinerant Teacher is a specialized educator that travels to different schools to provide support and instruction to students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

~They work with students in various settings, from preschool to high school, and collaborate with other educators and families to ensure students receive appropriate accommodations and support.

~They provide direct instruction and support to students in both academic and nonacademic areas.

~They also help inform and guide educators who have limited knowledge and skills in teaching and interacting with students with hearing loss.

If your child does not already have a Deaf Itinerant Teacher reach out to your school or school district.

08/26/2026

Here are some great tips about preparing a child to use an interpreter at school from :

"Working with an educational interpreter isn't automatically "second nature" for a Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) student. It is a specific skill set that may need to be explicitly taught!

Often, school districts might consider removing an interpreter because they observe that a student "isn't using them." But before deciding an interpreter isn't helpful, we have to ask: Has the student actually been taught HOW to use one?

Utilizing an interpreter effectively is an art. To maximize this accommodation, students need targeted instruction on:

* Role Boundaries: Understanding the distinct differences between the interpreter’s role, the teacher’s role, and their own responsibilities as a student.

* Optimal Placement: Knowing where the interpreter should be positioned for the best sightlines and visual access in different settings.

* Self-Advocacy: Understanding exactly what is appropriate to ask an interpreter to do—and what they should not ask them to do.

* Strategic Viewing: Learning how and when to look to the interpreter for clarification versus looking at the teacher or learning materials.

Plus, many DHH students in today’s mainstream classrooms have some degree of auditory access through technology. This hybrid way of accessing instruction fundamentally changes how an interpreter might be used during a lesson, making explicit training even more crucial!"

08/25/2026

Some more great DHH back to school tips from :

"Your DHH child’s school bag should be about more than school supplies. Your DHH child’s school bag should be about more than school supplies. 🎒

Back-to-school can be exciting, but it can also come with a lot of “what ifs” for DHH families.

✏️ Will their new teacher understand their hearing needs?
✏️ Will their technology work all day?
✏️ Will they be able to follow what’s happening in the classroom?
✏️ Will someone know what to do if something goes wrong?

You can’t plan for every possible situation, but you can make sure your child has the tools and supports they need when those moments happen.

Here are a few things that would be helpful for families to have in their DHH child’s school bag: extra batteries, a quick troubleshooting guide, an “All About Me” sheet, and a backup communication plan.

But here’s the part I really want us all to remember . . .

Your child is NOT responsible for managing their own access.

The goal isn’t for your child to troubleshoot their technology, advocate perfectly, or figure out what to do when something goes wrong. The adults supporting them are responsible for that.

Because access to communication and instruction shouldn’t stop just because a device does."

08/24/2026

Check out this post from .hu.hears that shares 5 tips for navigating school as a DHH child:

"Navigating School can be intimidating ...and not only for your child but for you as the parent or caregiver as well.

Preparing before school starts with these tips can help ease the anxiety for the whole family. *Save this post so you can come back to it later!

1- Remote microphone: I personally used a remote microphone in school and it was a huge help. This is where the teacher wears a microphone and the sound goes directly to your child's device.

2- Strategic seating: This is where your child would have access seating that is optimal for them, not necessarily the front row, but where they can best see their interpreter, teacher's face and visual cues.

3- Speaking up: Teach your child how to ask for additional help when they miss an instruction. Examples: "Can you repeat that?" "Can you show me again?" "Do you mind facing us when you talk instead of facing the whiteboard?"

4- Getting a buddy: This is someone in the classroom that your child is allowed to talk to to ask clarifying questions. Example: "What was the homework assignment?"

5- Using the whiteboard to write down assignments and homework.

6- If your child knows or is learning ASL, establish ASL interpreter services to ensure availability and scheduling. It's easier and more advantageous to have the services set up vs scrambling to find someone later in the year."

Address

5296 S Commerce Drive , Suite 302
Murray, UT
84107

Telephone

+18004681160

Website

https://utahparentcenter.org/projects/early-hearing-detection-and-intervention/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Utah EHDI Family Support and Information posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Murray?