2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/10/2025 | 11:25 AM - 11:55 AM | Unilateral Hearing Loss: A Multi-disciplinary Approach to Early Intervention | 317/318
Unilateral Hearing Loss: A Multi-disciplinary Approach to Early Intervention
Unilateral hearing loss affects one third of all children with congenital hearing loss. With a high prevalence, the implications of unilateral hearing loss tend to be overlooked as these children often develop speech and language in accordance with their age matched milestones due to a normal hearing ear. Effects of unilateral hearing loss go beyond audibility and speech and language, in fact, research shows that children with unilateral hearing loss demonstrate differences in areas such as executive functioning, cognition, and language comprehension, which is imperative for socialization, education, and overall development (van Wieringen et al., 2019). Approximately 1/3 to ½ of children with unilateral hearing loss that do not receive early intervention go on to have academic issues and 1/5 of these children have social and/or behavioral concerns (Winiger et al., 2016). Each child with unilateral hearing loss may be affected in different ways, therefore, the treatment cannot be a one size fit all approach. The Children’s Hearing Program is a multidisciplinary team that includes audiologists, an educational specialist, a psychologist, auditory verbal therapists, and social workers who collaborate to address areas beyond hearing loss that may be affected in our patients. Through case presentations, this presentation will highlight how the Children’s Hearing Program takes a holistic approach to ensure we are addressing the whole child and family beyond their hearing loss.
- Identify the importance of early intervention regarding unilateral hearing loss and resources available to families
- Highlight areas other than hearing/amplification that may be impacted in children with unilateral hearing loss
- Highlight the benefit of a multidisciplinary approach regarding care of children with unilateral hearing loss
Presentation:
3545975_18191AlexandriaMestres.pdf
3545975_18191SamanthaEspinal.pdf
Handouts:
3545975_18191SamanthaEspinal.pdf
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Alexandria Mestres
(Primary Presenter,Co-Presenter,Co-Author), University of Miami Children's Hearing Program, asm120@med.miami.edu;
Alex Mestres, a Miami native, attended Flagler College where she received a degree in Education of the Hearing Impaired and Elementary Education. She holds a Master's Degree in Applied Learning Sciences from University of Miami. Alex also has a wide variety of experience and credentialing in early childhood. She has worked in the private sector as an administrator, professional development trainer, and consultant. More recently she served as the department chairperson for Deaf and Hard of Hearing services with Miami Dade County Public School. While with the county she oversaw the itinerant teacher program and provided technical assistance to a wide variety of schools. Alex currently serves as a consultant and provides all deaf and hard of hearing services for Academica Charter Schools as well as Charter Schools USA. Along with those responsibilities, she is the educational specialist at the University Miami's Children's Hearing Program where she provides educational support for families of children with hearing loss.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Academica Charter schools, Charter Schools USA, and True North Charter Schools.
Nature: AGBell Florida Board member, AGBell financial aid review committee.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Samantha Espinal
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), University of Miami Children's Hearing Program, sgespinal@med.miami.edu;
Dr. Samantha Espinal is a pediatric audiologist and the newborn hearing screening coordinator at the University of Miami Ear Institute’s Children’s Hearing Program. She earned her clinical doctorate in audiology from Gallaudet University and completed her externship and Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) training at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Samantha is passionate about pediatric audiology, early intervention, and improving healthcare accessibility. Her day to day practices includes pediatric diagnostics, ABRs, hearing aids, and bone conduction devices.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with University of Miami.
Nature: none.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Michelle Coppola
(Co-Author), University of Miami Children's Hearing Program, mxc2892@miami.edu;
Dr. Michelle Coppola is a clinical audiologist at University of Miami’s Ear Institute. She received her clinical doctorate in audiology from Rush University and is currently licensed in the state of Florida. Dr. Michelle Coppola specializes in pediatric audiology within the UM Children’s Hearing Program. Her areas of focus include diagnostic testing, hearing aids, osseointegrated devices, and electrophysiology testing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -