2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference
March 13 - 15, 2022
10/27/2018 | 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM | Earlier Identification Through Mother Suspicion | Kramer Lecture Theater 3
Earlier Identification Through Mother Suspicion
Identification of (and provision of intervention for) a hearing loss before 3 months of age improves the potential for socio-linguistic and cognitive development of deaf children.
Existing studies demonstrating the feasibility of newborn hearing screening in South Africa are based on small samples that are unrepresentative of general population characteristics. The HI HOPES data set of deaf infants and their families has been shown to be representative of the terms of socio-demographic and population characteristics It examines specifically the relationship between age of maternal suspicion of childhood deafness and age of identification of deafness by cohort characteristics.
Results indicated that the median age at which mothers suspected that their child had a hearing loss was ten months lower than the median age of identification of the hearing loss. Acting on maternal suspicion and ensuring that mother's concerns are addressed during medical testing, doctor's appointments or vaccinations is thus a gateway to earlier identification. While this is not ideal, it is an alternative solution until newborn hearing screening is effectively implemented in all provinces and sectors of South Africa.
The use of mother suspicion as a means of earlier identification of hearing loss is dependent on medical professionals/nurses asking mothers the right questions and addressing concerns by referral to a qualified audiologist for comprehensive hearing testing.
- Understanding of the role of mother suspicion in identification of deafness
- How medical personnel contribute to early identification
- Training and education of medical personnel on paediatric hearing loss
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Presenters/Authors
Selvarani Moodley
(), Wits University, selvarani.moodley@wits.ac.za;
Dr Selvarani Moodley is a dual qualified speech language therapist and audiologist, with a PhD focusing on audiology. Her doctoral research was in the area of paediatric diagnostic audiology and data management, with 5 articles currently published from this research. Selvarani works as a researcher and national project manager for the HI HOPES Early Intervention programme at the Centre for Deaf Studies, University of the Witwatersrand.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Claudine Storbeck
(), Wits University, claudine.storbeck@gmail.com;
Prof Claudine Storbeck is the Director of The Centre for Deaf Studies, which she founded 21 years ago at The University of the Witwatersrand. The CFDS offers a host of research, post-graduate education & training opportunities in Deaf Education and Deaf Studies in South Africa, Africa and abroad. In her passion to support families of deaf and hard of hearing infants, Claudine founded the HI HOPES early intervention programme in 2006. In addition to deaf infants, this home-based, family-centred early intervention programme now also supports families of deafblind & developmentally delayed infants. Claudine played a core role in the groundbreaking launch of Netcare’s Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme in June 2019. She is a fluent user of South African Sign Language, has been married for 26 years and has 2 gorgeous teenage sons.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -