How One Foundation Changed Listening and Spoken Language Opportunities for Families and Children

Today, the possibilities for children with hearing loss are endless. With early identification through Newborn Hearing Screenings, properly fitted hearing technology, and Listening and Spoken Language (LSL), the opportunities for children with hearing loss are better than ever.

But that wasn’t always the case for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Since 1985, the Oberkotter Foundation has been working to help families ensure their children with hearing loss have opportunities to reach their full potential through listening and spoken language, and Hearing First is part of that legacy. 

Hearing First’s Role in the Oberkotter Foundation’s Legacy

The Oberkotter Foundation has seen firsthand what is possible for children who are deaf or hard of hearing when parents are equipped with complete information and professionals are empowered to support them. Because we've met the babies and talked with their families; watched them grow up and make friends in mainstream schools; and seen them succeed, we know that Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) is possible for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Launched in 2015, Hearing First is an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation and seeks to improve LSL outcomes for children with hearing loss by connecting directly with the parents, caregivers, and hearing healthcare professionals in a child’s life.

Together, the Oberkotter Foundation and Hearing First work to help create a future in which all children who are deaf or hard of hearing — especially those with the fewest resources — have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

The Story Behind the Oberkotter Foundation 

The Oberkotter Foundation was inspired by Paul and Louise Oberkotter’s daughter, Mildred, who was diagnosed as profoundly deaf at age two. The family decided that Mildred, “Mildie,” would learn to communicate using the language of their home — English.

At the time, in 1937, hearing technology was limited — hearing aids were the primary device used as cochlear implants had not yet even been invented. Like many parents today, Paul and Louise were determined to give their child her best opportunity to participate in their community like other children with typical hearing. They sought out professionals and tools they would need to succeed in educating Mildie and helping her communicate.

Fifty years after Mildie learned to communicate through speaking and lip reading, the Oberkotters recognized a need — they wanted to help families like theirs, who had a child who was deaf or hard of hearing. The Oberkotters established a Foundation to support these families and increase access to the critical resources and information needed for their children with hearing loss.

Celebrating a Legacy

Over the past nearly 40 years, the Oberkotter Foundation has provided more than $500 million to programs supporting its mission — helping families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through listening and spoken language.

The Foundation has celebrated so many significant milestones including:

• The establishment of 25 new LSL programs across the U.S.
• The creation and distribution of Dreams Spoken documentary films to millions of parents and professionals.
• The 2015 launch of Hearing First, which offers information, resources, education, and community connections to support families and the professionals who serve them so that children with hearing loss have the opportunity to learn to listen and talk.
• The 2021 launch of Starts Hear, a campaign created to raise awareness of the importance of newborn hearing.

Envisioning a Bright Future for Children with Hearing Loss

In 2023, the Oberkotter Foundation Board of Trustees adopted a strategic plan to further the Foundation’s impact and pave the way for a more inclusive, supportive future for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing learning to listen and talk.

Guided by the vision of the late Mildie Oberkotter, the Foundation is committed to improving access to quality care for all families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and ultimately forging the path for a future of limitless possibilities. The Foundation’s visionary goals focus on a future that includes affordable pediatric audiology and LSL intervention, where families and caregivers are equipped to support learning, language, and literacy development.

This chapter in the Foundation’s long legacy marks an exciting time of advancing science and innovation to support children who are deaf or hard of hearing as they learn to listen, talk, and reach their full potential.

To read more about the Oberkotter Foundation’s strategic plan visit oberkotterfoundation.org.