© Courtesy of Children’s Hearing & Speech Centre of BC
In British Columbia and across Canada, May is recognized as Speech and Hearing Month.
There is a common misconception that children who are born deaf or hard of hearing will not be able to learn to listen and speak. In reality, with early identification, appropriate hearing technology, and specialized early intervention, many children can develop strong listening and spoken language skills and go on to thrive at home, in school, and in their communities.
That is where the Children’s Hearing & Speech Centre of BC (CHSC) comes in.
For over 60 years, CHSC has supported BC children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and their families, through highly specialized Listening and Spoken Language services. The Centre works with children from infancy through the early school years, helping them build the communication, literacy, social, emotional and academic foundations they need for lifelong success.
Helping Children: Why Early Intervention Matters
At the heart of the Centre’s approach is the understanding that early access to language matters deeply. The first years of life are a critical period for brain development. When children have reduced access to sound or language, they can fall behind in communication, learning, and social development. Early intervention gives families the tools and support they need to help their child access language as early as possible.
What makes CHSC special is its integrated, family-centred model of care. Families receive support from a team of professionals who understand both child development and hearing loss, including Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and specialized Early Childhood
Educators. The Centre is acoustically sound and utilizes cutting-edge technology to deliver sound directly to children’s hearing aids, Cochlear implants, or bone conduction hearing devices.
A Unique Centre for Children and Families
As the only Listening & Spoken Language Centre in Western Canada, CHSC offers something rare and invaluable: an on-site audiology lab, a full-time Audiologist, and a team of Speech-Language Pathologists. This world-class model enables children to receive hearing assessments, hearing device support, speech sound development, and other services directly within their daily program. Families do not have to juggle multiple outside appointments or take extra time away from work to access essential services. In the Early Learning Program, deaf and hard-of-hearing children learn how to listen and speak, while building pre-academic reading, writing, and math skills, giving children a strong foundation for future school success.
For many families, Listening and Spoken Language is the pathway they choose because it supports communication within their home, extended family, school, and community. This is especially important in a multicultural province like British Columbia, where many children are growing up in homes where languages other than English are spoken. CHSC’s services are designed to respect each family’s goals, culture, and communication choices.
“When our daughter was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss, we weren’t sure what to expect. By three months old, she began services at CHSC. We had expected delays—but she has developed a strong vocabulary and is keeping pace with her peers. Choosing CHSC was one of the best decisions we made for her future.” —Billy
This Speech and Hearing Month, CHSC is proud to celebrate the children, families, and professionals who make those outcomes possible every day.
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Children’s Hearing & Speech Centre of BC (CHSC) is a Canadian registered charity that has been in operation since 1963. We are the only listening and spoken language centre in all of Western Canada. Through our programs and services, we ensure that children who are deaf and hard of hearing receive the listening and spoken language intervention they need to live full and independent lives on par with typical hearing children.