Central Michigan District Health Department
As summer draws to a close, local health departments are urging parents to get their school-age children tested for hearing and vision.
Visual clarity, eye muscle balance, nearsightedness, and farsightedness are tests provided by the Central Michigan Regional Health Department in Mount Pleasant, and good vision and hearing are important factors for a child’s success. Health Promotion and Preparedness Secretary Kim Schiavi said: Department store.
Hearing tests help identify hearing loss and often help find appropriate medical referrals if further testing is needed, Schiavi said.
“CMDHD offers both screenings to children throughout the school year at no parental cost,” said Schiabi, adding that most of the screening costs are for children ages 3 to 6 covered by Medicaid. He added that it would be covered by insurance.
Connie Lance, CMDHD’s health promotion supervisor, said hearing and vision screenings are state-mandated for all kindergarten children before the first day of school, and that CMDHD staff are responsible for preschool, first, third, and third grades. It said it provides vision screening services to children in fifth grade. , grades 7 and 9.
“Hearing screening is done for preschoolers and kindergarten, 2nd and 4th graders,” Lance said. “Preschoolers are screened during rounds at large nurseries, head start centers, or kindergartens.
“Students are tested throughout the school year as our technicians visit each school district. Other children may also be tested at the request of teachers and parents. Screening may also be offered at health sector clinics by appointment.”
Families with home-schooled children can call the county’s local health department branch.
Ask parents to schedule free hearing and vision screenings.the plan is
Also available during the summer.
Parents or guardians who call to make an appointment for their child’s vaccinations should also
If a technician is available, we will arrange a hearing and vision test in the same time slot.
appointed day.
Parents of children who do not pass inspection will be contacted and asked to pick up their child.
Additional tests will be conducted by doctors, the health department said.
About 10% of children screened for vision and 5% of children screened for hearing in Michigan are referred to a specialist.
Referrals to community services for assistance are also available through CMDHD’s Community Connections program. For more information or to schedule an appointment for testing for your eligible school-age child, please call the CMDHD Hearing and Vision Division at 989-314-7570.