Read “In This Silent World,” today’s entry in the personal weblog of British journalist Charles Arthur. It’s a beautiful, moving account of the agonizing process of discovery he and his wife went through with their newborn son. The comprehensive early screening program available in the U.K. diagnosed their son’s lack of hearing, and the family is moving quickly to provide him with all the support he needs. A similar program in the U.S., the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program (EHDI) has resulted in a dramatic increase in early diagnosis of newborns’ hearing loss. But funding for it is at risk. Early intervention, especially providing early education in sign language and other supplemental assistance, has been shown to put hearing-impaired children on the same developmental track as children with normal hearing. Early detection may be THE most important factor contributing to a deaf child’s future success and happiness. And by Washington, D.C. standards, the cost is miniscule. Yet EHDI funding is at risk in the current administration’s budget. If you’re a U.S. citizen it’s worth getting in touch with your federal representatives on this issue. For more information, go to the Self Help for Hard of Hearing advocacy website. Then check out Charles Arthur’s weblog. That guy can write.