2025 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 9-11, 2025 • Pittsburgh, PA
| Preschool Hearing and Speech Education - University of Pittsburgh (PHASE-UP): Effects of Different Preschool Hearing Screening Protocols
Preschool Hearing and Speech Education - University of Pittsburgh (PHASE-UP): Effects of Different Preschool Hearing Screening Protocols
Preschool Hearing and Speech Education – University of Pittsburgh (PHASE-UP) is a hearing screening program that partners with the Pittsburgh community to provide no-cost, comprehensive hearing screenings for local preschoolers. The goal of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of a one-criterion and two-criteria pass-fail distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) protocol to determine if a stricter criterion would result in more efficient hearing screenings for preschool children. PHASE-UP hearing screening results from September 2018 to April 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Results included tympanometry and/or otoscopy, DPOAEs, and conditioned play audiometric screening. A pass result on the one-criterion pass-fail DPOAE protocol occurred when the difference between the distortion product amplitude and the noise floor (e.g., signal-to-noise ratio, SNR) was greater than or equal to 6 dB. A pass result on the two-criteria pass-fail DPOAE protocol occurred when the absolute DPOAE amplitude was greater than or equal to 0 dB SPL and the SNR was greater than or equal to 6 dB. Pure-tone audiometric screening results were used as the gold standard when comparing sensitivity and specificity of the DPOAE screening protocols. Statistical analyses are ongoing and involve domain analyses evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of each DPOAE protocol within each age group and within tympanometry and/or otoscopy criteria. With results scaled in order of pass, unilateral refer, and bilateral refer, the preliminary weighted Kappa statistics were .56 for agreement between the one-criterion DPOAE protocol and pure-tone audiometric screening, and .41 for agreement between two-criteria DPOAE protocol and pure-tone audiometric screening. There were fewer false negatives with the two-criteria DPOAE protocol than with one-criterion DPOAE protocol; the sensitivity was .75 for the two-criteria DPOAE protocol and .65 for the one-criterion DPOAE protocol. Conversely, test specificity was .91 for the two-criteria DPOAE protocol and .97 for the one-criterion DPOAE protocol.
- Outline the standard screening protocol recommended for preschool aged children
- Summarize important considerations for implementing preschool hearing screenings
- Describe the difference in sensitivity and specificity between a one-criterion and two-criterion distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) in the preschool population
Presentation:
3478265_16437HayleySchneider.pdf
3478265_16437NicoleCorbin.pdf
Handouts:
3478265_16437NicoleCorbin.pdf
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Sarah Meier
(Primary Presenter,Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), University of Pittsburgh, sam484@pitt.edu;
Sarah Meier is a third-year Doctor of Audiology student and former LEND trainee at the University of Pittsburgh.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Maternal and Child Health Bureau-LEND Program
Pennsylvania Lions Research Hearing Grant
Preschool Hearing and Speech Education-University of Pittsburgh.
Nature: LEND is funded through a grant, and I received a stipend as a LEND trainee.
Pennsylvania Lions Research Hearing Grant: I was paid as an hourly employee to be a research assistant.
Preschool Hearing and Speech Education-University of Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Audiology Student: Collected Portions of These Data as Part of Clinical Practicum Requirement for AuD Program.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Madeline Sutter
(Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), University of Pittsburgh, mas969@pitt.edu;
Madeline Sutter is a third-year Doctor of Audiology student and former LEND trainee at the University of Pittsburgh.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Grants,Other financial benefit for Other activities from Maternal and Child Health Bureau - LEND Program.
Nonfinancial -
• Has a Other relationship (University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Audiology Student; Collected portions of these data as part of clinical practicum requirements for AuD Program)
relationship for Other volunteer activities.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Maternal and Child Health Bureau - LEND Program, Preschool Hearing and Speech Education - University of Pittsburgh.
Nature: University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Audiology Student; Collected Portions of These Data as Part of Clinical Practicum Requirements for AuD Program.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Hayley Schneider
(Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), University of Pittsburgh, has306@pitt.edu;
Hayley Schneider is a second-year Doctor of Audiology student and current LEND trainee at the University of Pittsburgh.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Other financial benefit for Other activities from Maternal and Child Health Bureau-LEND Program.
Nonfinancial -
• Has a Other relationship (University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Audiology Student; Collected Portions of These Data as Part of Clinical Practicum Requirement for AuD Program)
relationship for Other volunteer activities.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with - Maternal and Child Health Bureau-LEND Program
- Preschool Hearing and Speech Education-University of Pittsburgh.
Nature: -LEND Trainee
-University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Audiology Student; Collected Portions of These Data as Part of Clinical Practicum Requirement for AuD Program.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Katie Vellody
(Co-Author), University of Pittsburgh, LEND, katie.vellody@pitt.edu;
Katie Vellody is an audiologist and clinical instructor at the University of Pittsburgh. Responsibilities include administrative, clinical, academic, and research. Ms. Vellody is the coordinator of the Preschool Hearing and Speech Education – University of Pittsburgh (PHASE UP) Clinic. She coordinates with over 40 schools in the surrounding Pittsburgh area to provide evidenced based preventative care and screening to the preschool and school age populations. In the PHASE UP clinic, she oversees all 1st year audiology (AuD) and speech language pathology (SLP) graduate students in the administration of preschool & school age hearing screening protocols. Other clinical responsibilities include providing free audiological hearing care to adults residing in Pittsburgh regions of Homewood & East Hills at the Wellness Pavilion Community Engagement Center – University of Pittsburgh. Ms. Vellody teaches two academic graduate level courses to both SLP and AuD graduate students in the fall and spring terms. She is the audiology LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) faculty for the University of Pittsburgh and participates as LEND faculty in the CARES (Connection, Advocacy, Resources, Empowerment and Support) program, a free family centered program to help children and young adults with neurodevelopmental and related disorders, and their families meet their goals. Ms. Vellody’s research interests include hearing preventative care screening protocols in the preschool population and peer assisted learning (PAL) in AuD graduate programs. In addition, Ms. Vellody is also employed at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh as a pediatric audiologist.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from University of Pittsburgh - Audiology clinical Instructor.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with University of Pittsburgh.
Nature: Employed part time as audiology clinical instructor, coordinate & instructor in the Preschool Hearing and Speech Education Univeristy of Pittsburgh (PHASE UP) clinic. .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Nicole Corbin
(Co-Author), Boys Town National Research Hospital, nicole.corbin@boystown.org;
Dr. Nicole E. Corbin is a Scientist and the Director of the Pediatric Binaural Integration Lab at Boys Town National Research Hospital. Her research primarily focuses on the development and outcomes of children who have unilateral hearing loss. Prior to joining Boys Town National Research Hospital, she was an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders and the Co-Investigator of a Pediatric Audiology Training Grant in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Related Disorders (LEND) Center. Dr. Corbin continues to collaborate with the University of Pittsburgh in her scientific and audiology training endeavors.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with University of Pittsburgh
Maternal and Child Health Bureau LEND Grant.
Nature: Salary support.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.