2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
| Audiological testing outcomes for children with developmental disabilities
Audiological testing outcomes for children with developmental disabilities
Although behavioral assessment is the gold standard for determining hearing status, comprehensive results cannot always be obtained in a single visit for pediatric patients—especially those with developmental disabilities (Bonino et al., 2024). Sensory sensitivities, transitioning between tasks, and maintaining joint attention are common difficulties for these patients, which can impede the completion of behavioral audiology testing (CDC, 2024). Incomplete assessments delay hearing status determination for children with developmental disabilities, requiring additional appointments and potential sedation.
This project utilizes a dataset obtained as part of a larger study exploring universal autism screening by audiologists. The purpose of the current project is to understand better whether developmental disability status impacts audiological data obtained during a single visit. From 2022 to 2024, 6 pediatric audiologists participating in the Hearing Evaluation Autism Risk Screener (HEARS) study documented observed child behaviors and audiology test results obtained during 197 patients’ (ages 16 months - 10 years) behavioral hearing assessments. Specific variables of interest will be explored to determine whether results varied by disability status, including the number of hearing thresholds established, whether ear-specific testing was completed, and whether the age-appropriate testing method was attempted and completed. Supplementary analyses will explore differences in performance based on medical factors, initial versus follow-up hearing evaluation, and whether a test assistant was involved. Additionally, audiologists’ recommendations based on the results of the evaluation will be described. We hypothesize that disability status will impact the results obtained during behavioral evaluations. Results will help inform audiologists regarding potential factors influencing hearing health care for children with developmental disabilities.
References
Autism spectrum disorder. (2024, May 16). CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/autism/signs-symtpoms/index.html
Bonino, A. Y., Mood, D., & Dietrich, M. (2024). Rethinking the accessibility of hearing assessments for children with developmental disabilities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 2025(55), 3711-3721. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06461-9
- The participant will be able to describe the impact of disability status on the number of behavioral thresholds obtained in a pediatric audiological assessment.
- The participant will be able to explain the impact of a disability diagnosis on obtaining ear-specific results during pediatric audiological testing.
- The participant will be able to discuss whether disability status impacts if age-appropriate audiological testing methods are attempted and completed during pediatric assessments.
Presentation:
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Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Susie Kramer
(Primary Presenter,Co-Author), susan.kramer@childrenscolorado.org;
Audiology Doctoral Candidate at Purdue University; 4th Year Extern at Children's Hospital Colorado; LEND Trainee through University of Colorado JFK Partners
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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• Receives Other financial benefit for Other activities from University of Colorado JFK Partners.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
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Financial relationship with University of Colorado Anschutz JFK Partners; University of Colorado Anschutz, Developmental Pediatrics: Vanderbilt University; University of Colorado Boulder .
Nature: This project was completed with funding support from the AB Nexus Collaborative Research Grant Program. Additional funding was provided by the University of Colorado Anschutz JFK Partners as part of the Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Program. .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Deborah Mood
(Co-Author), DEBORAH.MOOD@cuanschutz.edu ;
Ph.D., University of Colorado- Anschutz
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Angela Bonino
(Co-Author), Vanderbilt University, angela.bonino@vumc.org;
Angela Yarnell Bonino, Ph.D., CCC-A is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She completed her clinical training in audiology at Vanderbilt University, and her Ph.D. and postdoctoral training at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was previously on faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Bonino’s research expertise is in human auditory development with behavioral methods. Current research is focused on advancing hearing health care for children with developmental disabilities by identifying gaps in clinical care and improving behavioral hearing assessment procedures.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Christina Meyers
(Co-Author), Christina.Meyers@colorado.edu;
Dr. Meyers-Denman’s areas of teaching and research expertise are in child language development, disorders, and intervention. She joined the CU-Boulder faculty as an assistant professor in 2015 after earning an M.S. and Ph.D. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Arizona and working clinically in California and Arizona.
Dr. Meyers-Denman teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in SLHS, including Language Development and Communication Challenges in Children Birth to Six.
As an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist, she bridges clinical experience and research. Dr. Meyers-Denman directs the iTOYS Lab (Improving Treatment Outcomes for Young Speakers) and leads projects designed to improve the efficacy and efficiency of intervention provided by speech-language pathologists, parent-implemented interventions, and language assessment procedures for bilingual children. Her research involves children with typical development, toddlers who are late to talk (“late talkers”), children with developmental language disorder including specific language impairment (SLI), bilingual children with typical and atypical communication skills, and the families of children who struggle with communication development.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
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