2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/16/2026 | 1:55 PM - 2:55 PM | Bridging the Gap: Sorting out cortical testing in a busy clinic | Clearwater
Bridging the Gap: Sorting out cortical testing in a busy clinic
At Boston Children’s Hospital, our audiology team is leading efforts to integrate cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) into clinical services for infants and children. This initiative aims to improve guidance and counseling regarding cochlear implants (CI) and hearing aids (HA), ultimately contributing to early intervention and speech-
language development.
Although CAEPs are well-documented in scientific literature, applying this knowledge in pediatric audiology practice presents distinct challenges. Audiologists often have to learn new techniques independently, outside the structured environment of graduate programs or direct clinical training, which can be notably challenging.
This presentation details our journey in a busy pediatric clinic, describing the barriers we faced and the strategies we are using to bridge the gap between research findings and practical application. This presentation focuses on not only bridging the learning gap for clinicians but bridging the gap for patients from diagnosis via ABR by 1 or 3 months of age to behavioral testing much later.
We will explore the learning curve involved with CAEP testing, logistics, and the vital role professional collaboration among pediatric clinicians plays in overcoming these hurdles. Basics of administering CAEP tests will be discussed, allowing participants to view waveforms and delve into the challenges of interpretation. A case study of a child with bilateral auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) provides a critical opportunity to evaluate pre- and post-CI CAEP responses. By examining waveforms over multiple sessions, we gained valuable insights into data interpretation that will be shared.
This session aims to equip pediatric providers with insights into the practical application of CAEPs, showing how it can help bridge the gap from diagnosis to better auditory access and care. Our experience underscores the importance of ongoing education, adaptability, and teamwork in integrating objective clinical measures, enhancing the quality of care in early childhood auditory services.
- The participant will be able to identify at least 3 patient populations that could benefit from cortical response testing
- The participant will be able to list at least 3 challenges with introducing cortical response testing in a busy clinic
- The participant will be able to describe a basic set up for administering cortical potential testing
Presentation:
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CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Tamar Gomes
(Primary Presenter,Author), Boston Children's Hospital, tamar.gomes@childrens.harvard.edu;
Tamar Gomes, Au.D. is the Specialty Audiologist in Electrophysiology at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH). She provides diagnostic and amplification audiology services for pediatric patients and focuses on current trends in electrophysiology. She is involved in audiology documentation software development, healthcare data management and informatics. She trains and supports students and staff in electrophysiology and documentation.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Boston Children's Hospital.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Boston Children's Hospital.
Nature: Full time employee at Boston Children's Hospital.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.