2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/11/2025 | 1:45 PM - 2:15 PM | Eyes Open, Ears On: Optimizing Wear Time in Young Children with Hearing Technology | 306/307
Eyes Open, Ears On: Optimizing Wear Time in Young Children with Hearing Technology
Research has shown that hearing technology wear time (i.e., average hours a day that a child uses her/his cochlear implants, hearing aids, etc.) influences the listening and spoken language outcomes children achieve (Park et. al., 2019; Wolfe et. al., 2021). Eyes Open, Ears On (EOEO) is an inter-disciplinary program created to support families of children with hearing loss in the goal of achieving hearing technology use during all waking hours. The EOEO program contains four core components: 1. Setting wear time goals and accessing progress toward these goals., 2. Education of the benefits of full-time hearing technology use., 3. Solutions for full-time hearing technology retention and use., 4. Family coaching and support. This presentation will describe the EOEO program and its impact on hearing technology wear time in infants and children.
- Participants will identify the four components of Eyes Open, Ears On.
- Participants will name three strategies they can implement into their clinic as soon as possible.
- Participants will name two ways that needs of the family tie into wear time.
Presentation:
This presentation has not yet been uploaded.
Handouts:
3545975_18166DarcyStowe.pdf
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Darcy Stowe
(Primary Presenter), Hearts for Hearing, darcy.stowe@heartsforhearing.org;
Darcy L. Stowe is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (Cert AVT) at Hearts for Hearing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with more than 20 years of experience in working with children with hearing loss and their families. For many years, she served as the Chief of Listening and Spoken Language at Hearts for Hearing where she oversaw the clinical work of a team of dedicated Speech-Language Pathologists who were Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS) or were pursuing certification as a LSLS. Darcy enjoys teaching, coaching and mentoring in the field of Listening & Spoken Language. Currently, she serves as the Chief Clinical Officer – providing leadership in innovative areas of hearing healthcare clinical practice.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Hearts for Hearing.
Nature: .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Abby Brett
(Co-Presenter), Hearts for Hearing, abby.brett@heartsforhearing.org;
Abby Brett is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (Cert. AVT) at Hearts for Hearing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Oklahoma State University and her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Oklahoma. She currently serves as the Director of Listening and Spoken Language at Hearts for Hearing. She has experience in providing family-centered listening and spoken language therapy to infants, children, and adolescents with hearing loss. Abby is passionate about early intervention and has experience in both a clinical and a counseling setting. She also leads group therapy classrooms including a parent-toddler class and a social group for teenagers with hearing loss. Abby also enjoys mentoring graduate students and speech-language pathologists who are seeking Listening and Spoken Language Specialist certification.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Hearts for Hearing.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Hearts for Hearing.
Nature: .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.