Group offers assistance to those with hearing loss

The Nevada chapter of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers guidance and hope to the 250,000 individuals who suffer from partial or complete hearing loss in Nevada.

The nonprofit 501c organization hosts regular education and support meetings and member outings. Although it is open to all age groups, children are its prime focus.

"It's crucial to educate the public and professionals who deal with hearing loss, so parents know that they have a choice of educating their hearing-impaired child," says Corrine Altman, who serves as the association's co-president with her husband, Arnie.

More than 12,000 infants are born deaf or hearing-impaired in the U.S. each year, according to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advocacy Resource Center, making it the most common birth defect.

"Anytime you find out your child is less that perfect, it's a huge loss," Altman says. "When anybody deals with hearing impairment, you go through the denial, the anger."

The oldest two of the Altmans' five children, now in their 20s, were born profoundly deaf and schooled through the auditory oral program offered through the Clark County School District and the Community College Child Development Lab. In their teens, they received cochlear implants.

"Education and early detection are very important," Altman says. "But the support is just as important, because you're able to link arm-in-arm with families who are experience the same emotions."

Since its inception in September, AG Bell Nevada has helped 50 families and 30 hearing-related professionals, but hopes to expand its operations considerably. The organization operates on a very limited budget and is in need of donations and volunteers.

Call 401-0338 for more information.