2025 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 9-11, 2025 • Pittsburgh, PA
DAVID L. LAWRENCE CONVENTION CENTER
| No Child Left Unidentified: A Comprehensive Project for Early Detection and Intervention of Hearing Loss in Preschool Children
No Child Left Unidentified: A Comprehensive Project for Early Detection and Intervention of Hearing Loss in Preschool Children
Hearing loss in preschool children can adversely impact learning, language, and social-emotional development. Late-onset and progressive hearing loss, which affects an estimated 13 per 1,000 children according to WHO, is often missed in newborn screening. In Taiwan, even in regions with the highest implementation of Preschool Hearing Screening (PHS), the referral rate is only 7 per 1,000, leaving many children unidentified. This gap results in increased social costs, estimated at over NT$513 million annually, which is equivalent to USD $229 million if adjusted for the U.S. population. These substantial costs underscore the economic impact of unidentified hearing loss on both families and the healthcare system.
The “No Child Left Unidentified” project , proposed by the Children's Hearing Foundation as a three-year plan (2023-2025), includes several key components: (1) establishing national PHS standards to ensure uniform screening procedures, (2) training public health nurses in PHS implementation, (3) advocating for local government adoption and policy integration of PHS, (4) developing the KLiP (Kid’s Listening Performance) Checklist as a practical tool for monitoring auditory performance, (5) enhancing the knowledge and skills of hearing and speech professionals through targeted training programs, and (6) creating a Hearing and Speech Knowledge Base to provide educational resources related to PHS.
By integrating these components, the project aims to increase early detection rates for preschool children and equip healthcare and educational professionals with the necessary knowledge and tools. The KLiP Checklist, which enables parents and preschool teachers to identify children with potential hearing difficulties, serves as in interim solution as Taiwan progresses toward the implementation of universal PHS. In addition, the project advocates for standardized PHS across Taiwan to ensure consistency and early intervention for hearing loss. This comprehensive project promotes early identification and intervention, ensuring that no child with hearing loss is left unidentified.
- Describe the limitations of current newborn and preschool hearing screening practices in Taiwan.
- Outline the key components of the No Child Left Unidentified project, including the establishment of national PHS standards, training of public health nurses, and advocacy for policy integration.
- Discuss the importance of standardizing PHS across Taiwan and how it contributes to early intervention and the prevention of unidentified hearing loss.
Presentation:
3545975_18145Yi-pingChang.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Yi-ping Chang
(Primary Presenter,Co-Author), Children's Hearing Foundation, yipingchang@chfn.org.tw;
Yi-ping Chang received the Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering from University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, U.S., in 2009; and the Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies with a specialization in Listening and Spoken Language from University of Newcastle, Australia, in 2014. From 2009 to 2010, she was a postdoctoral researcher in House Ear Institute (HEI) in Los Angeles, CA, U.S. Since 2011, she has been with the Children’s Hearing Foundation (CHF), Taipei, Taiwan, where she is currently the co-director of CHF’s Speech and Hearing Science Research Institute. Since 2015, she has been an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology at Mackay Medical College, New Taipei, Taiwan. Her research interests include speech perception in cochlear implants (CI), bimodal hearing, and assessment of listening and spoken language development of children with hearing loss.
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.
Hsu-ning Cheng
(Author), Children's Hearing Foundation, hsuningcheng@chfn.org.tw;
Hsu-ning Cheng received the bachelor’s degree in Department of Social Work from Fu Jen Catholic University (FJU), New Taipei City, Taiwan, in 2014. She is currently a licensed social work supervisor in the Social Service Department at Children’s Hearing Foundation (CHF), Taipei, Taiwan.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Hsuan-Mei Hong
(Co-Author), Children's Hearing Foundation, meihong@chfn.org.tw;
Hsuan-Mei Hong received the M.A. degree in Applied Linguistic Programs from National Chiayi University, Taiwan, in 2012. She is currently an assistant research fellow of Speech and Hearing Science Research Institute at Children’s Hearing Foundation.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -