The Vision and Hearing Screening Program, Texas Health and Safety Code requires that all children enrolled for the first time in any public, private, parochial, or denominational school or in a Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) licensed child-care center and licensed child care home in Texas, or who meet certain grade criteria (specified below), must be screened or have a professional examination for possible vision and hearing problems.
The requirements for
apply each year for children enrolled in any licensed child-care center and licensed child care home or school program at the ages or grades listed below:
*Although not required by Chapter 36, Department of Family and Protective Services licensed child-care center and licensed child care home are encouraged to screen all children younger than 4 years of age who can reliably respond to the screening tests outlined in the Department of State Health Service's vision and hearing screening protocols.
There must be a screening record on file for each child enrolled. The following data must be recorded: CHILD'S NAME, TYPE OF SCREENING, DATE, SCREENER, AND SCREENING RESULTS.
Annual screening results for vision and hearing screening activities should be submitted online to the Department of State Health Services.
For VISION SCREENING, a distance acuity for the right and left eyes, e.g., 20/20, 20/30, etc. Approved charts for distance acuity testing include: (1) Snellen Alphabet or Sloan letter chart, (2) Snellen "Tumbling E" Chart, and (3) HOTV Crowded Test set. (Muscle balance tests - Hirschberg corneal light reflex and cover-uncover tests - will be included in the certification workshops and are optional tests.)
For HEARING SCREENING, the results of the pure-tone audiometric Sweep-Check Screen must be recorded for both the right and left ears. A Sweep-Check Screen is to be conducted at an intensity less than or equal to 25 dB; at the following frequencies: 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hertz
FOR MORE INFORMATION. PLEASE CONTACT: Department of State Health Services Vision and Hearing Screening-Mail Code 1938 PO Box 149347 / Austin, Texas 78714-9347 1100 West 49th Street / Austin, Texas 78756-3199 Phone: 512-776-7420 or toll free 1-800-252-8023 extension 6687 Fax: 512-776-7256
