2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
Clinical Indicators and Time Course for Amplification Fitting in Children with Down Syndrome
Children with Down Syndrome tend to have persistent and fluctuating otologic disorders and conductive hearing loss more often than the typically-developing population. Determining the need for amplification to provide adequate auditory access for speech-language development in the form of either bone-anchored hearing devices or hearing aids is complicated and confounded by several factors in this clinical population. Obtaining complete, accurate audiologic diagnostic information can be delayed by the difficulty of behavioral audiologic testing in this population. Further, comprehensive diagnosis of the nature of middle ear dysfunction and conductive hearing loss requires collaboration with otolaryngology physicians to determine any potential medical intervention needed prior to pursuit of amplification. Because many children with Down Syndrome can present with either chronic and fluctuating or permanent, structural conductive hearing loss warranting amplification, determination of the chronic or permanent nature of middle ear dysfunction often requires multiple attempts at medical treatment with tympanostomy tubes. All of these factors could contribute to delays in needed amplification fitting in children with Down Syndrome and has not yet been evaluated in the literature. In addition, improving this delay to amplification fitting could be assisted by novel documentation of typical tympanometric findings in this population for use in clinical protocols. Lastly, assessing the audiologic characteristics associated with future amplification fitting would inform clinical recommendations for amplification in children with Down Syndrome. This poster will document the range and distribution of typical tympanometric characteristics in children with Down Syndrome, including ear canal volume and morphology, and retrospectively evaluate relevant case histories and document potential factors that could contribute to early identification of amplification need. Attendees will learn the typical range of tympanometric characteristics in children with Down Syndrome and audiologic clinical indicators that may be relevant to use for consideration of amplification in this clinical population.
- Understand typical range and morphology of tympanometric characteristics in children with Down Syndrome
- Evaluate potential clinical indicators of future amplification need in children with Down Syndrome
- Understand importance of inter-disciplinary communication and collaboration in case management
Poster:
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Presenter: Madalyn Anderson
Madalyn Anderson is a fourth year doctoral audiology student at the University of Iowa. She is currently completing her fourth year externship at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her clinical interests include working with children ages birth to three through the early identification and intervention process.
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Teresa DeNiro is a 4th year Audiology Extern at Boston Children’s Hospital and will achieve her Doctorate of Audiology this May from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. After graduation, she plans on working as a pediatric audiologist with a focus in diagnostic testing, pediatric amplification, and Auditory Processing Disorder. Past research included “Tinnitus Bothersome and Personality Type,” conducted at the UT Audiology Clinic in Knoxville. Teri served as a member of UTHSC’s EHDI Program where she tracked follow-up outcomes for infants who failed or missed their newborn hearing screening. She is happy to participate in this year’s EHDI conference, and to once again be working with this remarkable organization.
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Izabela is an Au.D./Ph.D. student at Ohio State University currently completing her externship at Boston Children's Hospital. Izabela's clinical and research interests involve pediatric language and neurocognitive development and clinical, intervention, and family factors that play a role in influencing development.
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Derek Stiles has been Director of Audiology at Boston Children's Hospital since 2014, and Director of the Center for Communication Enhancement since 2021. He leads a team of 30 audiologists, serving 20,000 patients a year across 6 clinical sites in Eastern Massachusetts. He also oversees the directors of the SLP, Feeding & Swallowing, Augmentative Communication, Autism Language, Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing, and Balance Programs at Boston Children's Hospital.
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• Receives Salary for Employment,Management position from Boston Children's Hospital.
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No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.