2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER
Tracking and Analyzing Hearing Outcomes Among Infants Born with Risk Indicators
The VA EHDI Program strives to ensure that all children receive screening prior to 1 month of birth, diagnosis of permanent hearing loss before 3 months, and enrollment in early intervention services by 6 months of age. One key component of the VA EHDI program is to identify children who are born with risk indicators and capture these risk indicators in the EHDI Information System (EHDI-IS). These indicators include a comprehensive list of factors such as exposure to chemotherapy, craniofacial anomalies, family history of permanent childhood hearing loss, head trauma, in utero infections, neonatal indicators including a stay in the NICU for more than 5 days, neurodegenerative disorders, postnatal infections, stigmata, or syndromes associated with late onset hearing loss. Infants born with these indicators are found through research to be at an increased risk of developing hearing loss.1 While research currently finds an association between risk factors and hearing loss, current and comprehensive research is lacking, thus necessitating this analysis.
The EHDI Information System (EHDI-IS) collects information on all infants born with risk through the data entry from hospital screening staff, audiologists, and Primary Care Providers. EHDI-IS also includes information on hearing outcomes for each infant. The goal of this research is to identify an association between risk factors and hearing loss. The research team will conduct a cross-sectional analysis to evaluate risk factors as the exposure, regardless of initial screening result, and a diagnosis of permanent hearing loss as the outcome. The research will consist of looking at each risk factor individually to identify which risk factors may have a higher association of hearing loss. The findings will inform messaging to hospitals and EHDI stakeholders in order to ensure that children born with risk factors are followed up with to receive timely screenings, diagnoses, and intervention services.
- nform messaging to hospitals and EHDI stakeholders
- Provide guidance to states looking to capture risk indicators in EHDI -IS
- contribute to research regarding risk indicators
Poster:
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Presenter: Deepali Sanghani
Deepali Sanghani is the CMV Follow-Up Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (VA EHDI) Program. Deepali has a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a Masters in Public Health. Deepali has worked in Public Health for over 5 years and has a passion for helping others. In her role with VA EHDI, she oversees hearing screening and cCMV screening follow-up. In her spare time Deepali enjoys reading, listening to music and spending time with family and friends. Deepali resides in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and two daughters.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Daphne Miller is currently the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Health. The VA EHDI Program ensures all infant's hearing is screened at birth and if children are diagnosed with hearing loss they are referred to Early Intervention. Daphne has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and has worked with families and children over 15 years. In her spare time she enjoys binge watching shows, listening to music and spending time with family and friends. Daphne resides in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and daughter.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Parker Brodsky is the Newborn Screening Epidemiologist for the Virginia Department of Health Division of Population Health Data. Parker has a Bachelor of Arts in Global Public Health and a Masters in Public Health. In her role as an epidemiologist, she analyzes trends in data for VA EHDI to inform programmatic decision making. Parker lives in Richmond Virginia and enjoys reading, painting, and finding new restaurants.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Christen Crews, MSN, RN, is the Newborn Screening and Birth Defects Surveillance Programs Manager for the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). She has over 20 years of leadership experience, with 9 years specifically focusing on newborn screening. She has an established passion for public health as evidenced by current and past dedication to program development, education, and management of the Dried Blood Spot (DBS) Newborn Screening (NBS), Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) and Sickle Cell Disease, Early Hearing Intervention and Detection (VA EHDI), Rare Disease Council, and Birth Defects Surveillance (BDS) programs in Virginia. She is a leader of change with documented successful outcomes of quality improvements by designing, integrating, troubleshooting, and providing training on new technology to revolutionize NBS-DBS critical reporting, follow-up, and communication across the Commonwealth of Virginia with national recognition.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.