More than 500 Yolo County preschool children will receive free hearing screenings thanks to Hear! Here!, the Woodland chapter of Hearing Loss Association of America, and its partners.

Testing will be done by trained personnel from the Center for Hearing Health, a contract provider offering hearing tests to school districts throughout the Northern California region. CHH provides on-site tests to students of all ages.

“Children need good hearing to learn and socialize,” a news release said. “It is critical to catch hearing loss in children as early as possible and many Yolo County children are not tested until they enter the state elementary system.”

The Hear! Here! screening program tests 4- and 5-year-olds. Parents of children identified with a hearing loss receive a letter explaining the importance of hearing and recommending a full hearing test to determine an accurate diagnosis.

Hear! Here! has provided free testing since 2008 when 42 children at three Woodland schools were screened. In 2011, that effort expanded to include 361 children in Woodland, Davis, Winters and Esparto. Expanded testing in 2012 is possible through a community grant from First 5 Yolo and funding from Davis Soroptimists and Woodland Sunrise Rotarians.

Screening begins April 30 and concludes May 17 and involves 183 children at eight schools in Davis, 149 children at five schools in Woodland, 146 children at three schools in Esparto, 116 children at five schools in Winters,  and 25 children in Knights Landing.

For information or to donate to the program, email [email protected] or visit http://hearherewoodland.blogspot.com.

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Sara La Rue listens for tones at a hearing screening at her Davis preschool in 2010. Steve Bonell/Courtesy photo

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