2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER
Prevalence of Reported Risk Factors among infants and young children identified with a Late Onset Hearing Loss, 2016-2021
Since the implementation of universal newborn hearing screening in Rhode Island, great strides have been made in the early diagnosis and implementation of services for those infants identified with permanent hearing loss. Current research indicates that nationally by the time children are at school age the prevalence of permanent hearing loss as much as doubles from 3 per 1000 to 6 per 1000. It continues to be a challenge to identify those with late onset hearing loss that occurs after the newborn period. The Rhode Island Department of Health EHDI Program reviewed data of 66 children born between 2016 through 2021 who passed the newborn hearing screening but were later diagnosed with permanent hearing loss (>1 month old) to determine if there were risk factors for hearing loss reported at time of diagnosis the same risk factor present at birth. Of the 66 late- identified, whereas 40 (61%) had a risk factor, 26 (39%) did not have any risk factors reported, and thus had no recommendation for diagnostic VRA at age 6 months of age. Conclusion: Thirty nine percent of infants in the cohort were reported to have no known risk factor for late onset hearing loss. The Rhode Island EHDI Program continues to develop a plan for hearing screening of the 0-5 populations as these findings suggest the need for more robust monitoring not only for infants who have passed the newborn hearing screen and have hearing loss risk factors, but also for infants who pass the newborn screen with no risk factors. These findings will be used as part of an education initiative with pediatric medical providers on the importance of regular hearing screenings for all children, especially those with hearing loss risk factors.
- Identify risk factors of late onset population
- Improving monitoring on the 0-5 population of Risk Factor population
- Improve Risk Factor Education with Pediatric Medical Providers
Poster:
3420032_15559GailMcDonald.pdf
Presenter: Ellen Amore
Ellen Amore is currently Deputy Director of the Center for Health Data and Analysis and Manager of KIDSNET, Rhode Island’s integrated child health information system that contains preventive health care information for Rhode Island children. She is PI on the CDC EHDI Cooperative Agreement. Other programs at the Rhode Island Department of Health that she has managed include Newborn Hearing Screening, Newborn Bloodspot Screening, Newborn Developmental Risk Assessment and home visiting. Her education includes a BA in Human Biology, with a concentration in child development, from Stanford University, and an MS in Maternal and Child Health from the Harvard School of Public Health.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Liza is currently the manager for the Newborn Hearing Screening program and is the EHDI coordinator for Rhode Island. Liza provides oversight for the project and coordinate with other relevant statewide efforts. She previously worked as a parent consultant, and a Community Liaison for RIDOH’s Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Program. Dr. Then is fluent in written and spoken Spanish.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Gail McDonald is currently the administrative audiologist for their Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program. Previously she was the Owner On-Site Audiology LLC, Providing Educational Audiology, Diagnostic testing. She also has clinical audiology experience working with all ages infants through adults.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Rich recieved an AS degrees from Community College of RI in Chemistry and an AS from New England Tech in Computer Science. He currently is the data manager for the Rhode Island EHDI data, as well as for other newborn and early childhood datasets.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Betty Vohr, MD has been the director of Women & Infants Hospital’s Neonatal Follow-up Clinic since 1974 and medical director of the Rhode Island Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program since 1990. She has been the national coordinator of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network follow-up studies since 1990. Dr. Vohr’s primary clinical and research interests focus on improving the long-term outcomes of high-risk premature infants and infants with hearing loss. Dr. Vohr played an instrumental role in the development of the RI-EHDI (formerly RIHAP), which was established in 1990. Based at Women & Infants, RIHAP became the first public health program in the United States to achieve universal newborn hearing screening for all infants born in RI. She is a recipient of the Antonia Brancia Maxon award for EHDI Excellence, has served as a member of the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -