VISION/HEARING SCREENING

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Each year Douglas County Schools conduct vision and hearing screening for all students in the state-mandated grade levels K, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9, as well as new students to the District and students receiving special services in all grades.  The audiologists oversee the hearing screening and the school nurse consultants oversee the vision screening.  Since the audiologists and the nurses are responsible for many thousands of students, parent volunteers are utilized to expedite the screening process.  The vision screening assistant, audiology technicians and adult volunteers conduct the screenings.

It is important for you to understand that this is a screening program to detect academically significant vision and hearing problems. Certain visual or eye problems will not be picked up in a screening program. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional eye exam, particularly in students who are experiencing difficulty in visual tasks or who have frequent visual complaints.  The vision screening only tests distance.  Students should be wearing or at least have any corrective lenses with them for the screening.  This helps avoid unnecessary referrals for eye exams.

The hearing screening may be done on a day your child has a cold or an ear infection.  If a problem is detected, your child will be rechecked at school, referred to your doctor or referred to the audiology office for a more complete evaluation.

Referral letters are sent to the parents/guardians of students who fail the vision or hearing screening.  It is very important that the referral letters be returned. Vision referrals are returned to your school.  Hearing referrals are returned to the Audiology/Special Services office.  If your child sees a doctor for a condition that affects this screening, please inform your nurse and/or audiologist.  Any questions you may have regarding these screenings can be directed to the audiologist or school nurse consultant at the phone numbers listed below.

Thank you in advance for your support of these very important programs.

Rosa Kilcullen		Leah Wycoff
Educational Audiologist		School Nurse Consultant
(303) 387-2202		Pager # (303) 208-0047