Statewide Iowa — Iowa is poised to adopt a program already operating in 18 states that’s designed to help deaf and hard of hearing children gain language skills, so they’re prepared to enter kindergarten.
Joni Boone of Ankeny and her husband found out their daughter, Lena, was profoundly hard of hearing at birth and the child lost her hearing by the time she was six months old.
Lena Boone struggled to communicate in preschool, but she’s now five and her mother says Lena is thriving. Studies show many deaf or hard of hearing children do not learn communications skills like American Sign Language early enough and they enter kindergarten at a distinct disadvantage. The legislature has passed a bill to set up a mentoring program, so parents like Boone can help the parents of newborns and toddlers who’re diagnosed with hearing difficulties.
Boone’s father — and Lena’s grandfather — is Danny Carroll, a statehouse lobbyist who’s a former legislator and he was a leading advocate for passage of the bill. In addition to the parent mentoring program, it outlines the benchmarks toddlers and young children who are deaf or hard of hearing need to reach to be able to communicate.
Senator Ken Rozenboom of Oskaloosa worked on the bill and he says state records indicate testing shows about 100 deaf or hard of hearing babies are born in Iowa each year.
Representative Sandy Salmon of Janesville says the bill is the product of years worth of work.
Representative Art Staed of Cedar Rapids notes the bill passed the House and Senate unanimously.
Governor Reynolds is expected to sign the bill into law.
