2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/10/2025 | 3:10 PM - 3:40 PM | The FAQs of M/A (Frequently Asked Questions about Microtia/Atresia) for Parents and Professionals | 302
The FAQs of M/A (Frequently Asked Questions about Microtia/Atresia) for Parents and Professionals
After a child is born with microtia/atresia (MA), their parents have many questions but rarely encounter anyone in those first days and weeks to answer them. As they move from the newborn medical world to the 1-3-6 world, many parents report that their questions continue to go unaddressed, or, worse, are answered inaccurately. Many of the professionals they encounter upon entering Early Intervention may have limited experience with children with microtia/atresia, given its relative rarity and limitations and variability to some states’ eligibility for children who are deaf/hard of hearing. This presentation addresses common questions parents and professionals who work with them have regarding etiology, audiology testing, amplification options, medical treatment, developmental impact, social impact, and long-term implications. Facilitated discussion among participants will identify strategies for supporting families through these early stages and beyond.
- Participants will generate questions parents of children with microtia/atresia have after their child's birth.
- Participants will identify answers to common questions asked by parents of children with microtia/atresia.
- Participants will discuss and develop strategies for supporting parents of children with microtia/atresia.
Presentation:
3545975_18193MeredithBerger.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Meredith Berger
(Primary Presenter), Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech and Teachers College, Columbia University, mberger@clarkeschools.org;
Meredith Berger, MS became the director of Clarke Schools for Hearing & Speech/New York, an Early Intervention and Preschool listening spoken language program, in 2008. Prior to that, she was the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Educational Specialist at New York Eye and Ear’s Ear Institute/Cochlear Implant Center. She received a B.S. in Education from SUNY at Buffalo State College and master’s degrees in Deaf Education and in Educational Leadership from Canisius College. In addition to presenting on the educational needs of children with hearing loss, she has also co-authored pieces on the Clinic-School relationship. Meredith is on the Executive Board of Option Schools as a Director at Large and is member of the Children's Hearing Institute Medical and Educational Advisory Board. In 2017, Meredith began her doctoral studies at Teachers College, Columbia University to find answers to her own questions on the needs/outcomes of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, particularly those with microtia/atresia, and their families.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech.
Nonfinancial -
• Has a Personal
(Parent of a child who uses Cochlear BAHAS)
relationship for Other volunteer activities.
• Has a Professional
(advisory committee member)
relationship for Volunteer membership on advisory committee or review panels.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech.
Nature: 1. Employed by Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech
Non-financial
1. NYS EHDI Advisory Panel member
2. Parent of a child with microtia/atresia who uses Cochlear BAHAs. .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.