2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
| LEND: Justification of Early Childhood Screening Services Prior to Kindergarten
LEND: Justification of Early Childhood Screening Services Prior to Kindergarten
Many children with educationally significant developmental challenges remain unidentified before kindergarten due to limited awareness, inadequate resources, and missed diagnostic opportunities during early childhood. Providers in the field of communication and language are often the first practitioners to encounter children with these undiagnosed developmental differences. Through screening tools, providers have the opportunity to help identify these conditions early on in clinical settings. It is within our scope of practice to administer screeners for conditions such as hearing loss, autism spectrum disorder, and speech/language challenges among others. This poster highlights the opportunity to detect educationally significant differences, but also examines the long-term consequences of late identification.
- Upon completion, participants will be able to analyze early childhood developmental guidelines to determine identifiable developmental challenges.
- Upon completion, participants will be able to evaluate audiologic and multidisciplinary screening tools by comparing their sensitivity, specificity, validity, and reliability in identifying developmental concerns in pediatric patients.
- Upon completion, participants will be able to apply evidence-based strategies to identify the impacts of delayed diagnosis and demonstrate effective counseling approaches that Audiologists or other providers can use to guide families toward timely screening and early intervention services.
Presentation:
View Presentation File
Handouts:
View Handout File
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Sandra Gabbard
(Co-Author), Marion Downs Center, sandra.gabbard@mariondowns.org;
Sandra Gabbard is an Associate Professor of Audiology at the University of Colorado where she is the Coordinator of the Pediatric Audiology LEND MCHB training grant, which supports AuD students and post-doctoral audiologists to expand their expertise in pediatric audiology. In addition, Sandra is the CEO/President and audiologist at the Marion Downs Center, a non-profit community clinic which provides services in audiology, speech therapy, and more.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Graham Gansar
(Primary Presenter,Author), grga8305@colorado.edu;
Graham Gansar, Au.D. candidate, is an AuD student at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is a LEND trainee and in his 4th year fellowship at the Marion Downs Center in Denver, Colorado. His clinical interests include adult and pediatric diagnostic audiology, hearing conservation, and helping to provide audiological services for underserved communities. Graham has clinical experience in diagnostic evaluation, music and industrial audiology, pediatric hearing screening/assessment/intervention, and interdisciplinary collaboration with speech-language pathology. His current scholarly project focuses on evaluating early childhood screening prior to kindergarten and the impact of delayed identification on long-term developmental outcomes. He is committed to advancing evidence-based practices that support timely identification and intervention for young children.
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.