DRAFT

PROJECT 

NA’ MAS 
FITME

What is Guam EHDI-Na' Mas Fitme?

This project aims to work towards supporting 
the development of a statewide program and 
system of care that ensures identification 
of deaf or hard of hearing children through 
newborn and infant hearing screening. 
And receive an evaluation, diagnosis, and 
appropriate intervention that optimizes 
their language, literacy, and social-emotional 
development.


Lead efforts to engage and coordinate all 
stakeholders inthe state/territory EHDI 
system to ensure that children who are Deaf 
and Hard of Hearing (DHH) are identified, 
diagnosed, and receive appropriate early 
intervention services.

Engage, educate, and train health 
professionals and service providers in the 
EHDI system.

Strengthen family engagement, partnership, 
and leadership for children and adults who 
are DHH within the EHDI programs and 
systems.

PROGRAM 
GOALS 


Why is it important to identify hearing loss 
in children so early?


Children identified with a hearing loss 
earlier can receive early intervention 
services to support better language and 
cognitive development outcomes. One of the 
targets that our system aims for is the 1-3-6 
benchmark

1-3-6 Benchmark

screening of all infants born on Guam by 1 
month 



What happens if a newborn does not pass 
their hearing screening?

Did you know?

• 3 out of every 1000 children in the United 
States are born with a hearing loss in one or 
both ears.
• 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.
• 5 out of 6 children experience ear infection (otitis 
media) by the time they are three years old.
• That the Guam EHDI Project has facilitated 
universal newborn hearing screening on Guam 
since 2003?
• Public Law 27-150, “The Universal Newborn 
Hearing Screening and Intervention Act,” was 
passed -n December 2004.
• Guam EHDI ensures that all babies born on Guam 
receive a hearing screening before leaving their 
birthing facility. 
• Universal hearing screening is part of the standard 
of care at Guam Memorial Hospital Authority 
(GMHA), Sagua Mañagu Birthing Center (SMBC), 
and the U.S. Naval Hospital.


Babies who do not pass their initial hearing 
screening have a re-screen by the Guam Early 
Intervention System (GEIS).

If they do not pass this second screening, they 
see an audiologist for a formal Diagnostic 
Audiological Evaluation (DAE).

Guam EHDI has a comprehensive tracking 
and surveillance system known as Guam 
ChildLink-EHDI. Guam ChildLink-EHDI 
ensures an infant diagnosed with a hearing 
loss receives appropriate follow-up services.

What can health care providers do to help 
in identifying children with hearing loss?

You can help by asking parents/caregivers:

if the baby passed the initial hearing 
screening

if the baby did not pass the initial hearing 
screening, did they receive and pass the 
follow-up hearing screening

if the baby did not pass the second hearing 
screening, did baby see an audiologist for a 
Diagnostic Audiological Evaluation (DAE)

if they have any concerns about their child’s 
hearing, speech and or language development 
at each well-baby check-up

if the infant has high-risk factors for hearing 
loss at the well-baby check-up

How can I learn more about 
Guam EHDI Project Fitme?


Please visit our website: 

www.guamehdi.org

Contact us at 735-2466 for brochures and 
posters to share with families!

You can also find us on Facebook: 

Guam Early Hearing Detection and 
Intervention


“Guam Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Project (Guam EHDI) is supported by the Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $235,000.00. 
The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, 
HHS, or the U.S. Government.”