Maryland Hearing Aid and Language & Communication Video Loan Bank

The Maryland Hearing Aid and Language and Communication Video Loan Bank is a statewide resource for families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Families without access through insurance or other means may borrow hearing aids for up to one year. The Loan Bank also offers videos and links to various resources to help families learn the language or communication method they choose to your with their children. For many parents, learning that their new baby is deaf or hard of hearing (D/HoH) comes as a complete surprise. More than 90% of D/HoH children are born to hearing parents with no family history of deafness. Families with a newly identified child face many choices and an array of information that can feel overwhelming. As the child grows, families face new challenges, new opportunities, and new questions.

Families may wonder:

• Does our child need hearing aids? If so, how will we afford them?

• How will we communicate with our child?

• We want to use American Sign Language with our child. How we can learn this new language?

• How can we help our child use their hearing devices to understand and use spoken language?

• Would be Cued Speech be helpful for our child?
  

• How will our child learn to read?

The Division of Early Intervention and Special Education is committed to supporting these families as they nurture their child’s development. Started in the year 2002 to provide hearing aids to infants and toddlers, the Maryland Hearing Aid and Language and Communication Video Loan Bank now offers multiple resources for families of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing children from birth through the end of high school. Families can borrow hearing aids and/or DVDs and other materials to learn about options for supporting their child’s language development. All resources are provided to eligible families at NO COST.

Eligible families:

• Are Maryland residents.
  

• Have a child diagnosed by an audiologist or other medical professional as Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing from birth to age 21 who has not yet graduated from high school.

• If applying for hearing aids, don’t have insurance coverage for hearing aids, are experiencing delays or difficulties acquiring or replacing hearings aids, and/or need a “hearing aid trial” before purchasing personal aids or receiving a cochlear implant.

Use these links to learn more or request materials from the Loan Bank.

• Hearing Aids

• Language and Communication Videos

• Other Resources for Families of Children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing