2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER
3/07/2023 | 9:40 AM - 10:10 AM | Late-identification: Supporting Families | DECC 212
Late-identification: Supporting Families
From October 2020 through May 2021, Children’s Hospital Colorado and Colorado Hands & Voices convened a stakeholder group to study late identification. They hosted focus groups and a parent survey to explore the topic further. Colorado had achieved a 95% screening rate for newborns, but during COVID-19, only just over half the number of children were identified with hearing differences according to the EHDI milestones compared to previous years in the state. Systems for hearing screening at birth are reasonably well-established. Still, the few families whose children miss or do not pass the hearing screening and aren’t connected with audiology and/or early intervention, or those whose children develop changes in hearing after the newborn period face a fragmented system. For example, there is no formal hearing screening until kindergarten for families who do not qualify for preschool, leaving a potential five-year gap in screening for hearing loss. Delayed identification leads to later entry or no entry into early intervention services, which correlates with poorer language outcomes for children and increased stressors for parents. A parent leader and a pediatric audiologist discuss what the project learned about late identification and have resources to share with family support groups and providers (clinical and educational audiologists, early interventionists, and teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing) based on lessons learned.
- 1. Participants will understand background information on the partnership grant including the process and demographics of the parent survey and focus groups.
- 2. Participants can describe the most common barriers for timely identification and helpful supports shared by parents in this study.
- 3. Participants will analyze resources designed to remind providers about topics important to late-identified families as suggested by the advisory committee.
Presentation:
3420032_15670SaraKennedy.pdf
Handouts:
3420032_15670SaraKennedy.pdf
Transcripts:
3420032_15670SaraKennedy.docx
Presenters/Authors
Sara Kennedy
(), Hands & Voices, Sara@handsandvoices.org;
Sara is a mom of four children, including a daughter born at home and later-identified as deaf after a progressive loss. An occupational therapist by training, Sara has served at Hands & Voices since 2001 as the editor for the quarterly newspaper, the Communicator, and a trainer for the educational advocacy program, ASTra. Sara has a particular interest in advocating for hearing screening in the homebirth community. She was a coauthor for the Virtual Waiting Room web presence at Hands & Voices, the handbook Bridge to Preschool: Navigating a Successful Transition as well as articles and presentations on topics ranging from children's safety, promoting self-advocacy, the decision process around cochlear implants, and supporting fathers and rural families. Sara transitioned out of her role as Director of Colorado Hands & Voices (2011-2022). She finds her new consulting role with young adult children rewarding and challenging.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Rebecca Awad
(), Children's Hospital Colorado, rebecca.awad@childrenscolorado.org;
Becky Awad is a PASC certified audiologist who has worked at Children's Hospital Colorado for 11 years. She has served as the Newborn Hearing Screen Coordinator there since 2009. Her audiologic interests include evidenced based practice, risk factors for hearing loss in the NICU population, quality improvement projects focused on improving the patient/family experience, and multicultural issues.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Children's Hospital Colorado.
Nature: employment.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.