2011 Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Summit: Building Connections!
Held: March 6 - 7, 2011
Ramada Mall of America, Bloomington, MN
Attendees were provided the latest information regarding newborn hearing loss and early intervention.
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The 2011 Minnesota Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Summit was held on March 6th and March 7th. This year's theme was "Building Connections," which focused on bridging gaps between professionals and families to improve continuity of care. The Summit was a huge success and brought together nearly 300 participants from Minnesota and bordering states.
Attendees included families, community partners and professionals of many disciplines including: primary care, audiology, speech language pathology, deaf mentors, nurses, educators, and early interventionists. The Summit provided the latest information regarding best practices in newborn hearing screening, identification, and intervention available to infants/young children identified with hearing loss.
Keynote speakers included: Anu Sharma, who shared her latest research on brain development in children with cochlear implants; Dr. Rachel St. John, who discussed how health care homes impact children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing and strategies for incorporating EHDI into medical practice; Janet DesGeorges, who provided insight into follow-up and provided a parent perspective of raising a child who is deaf/hard-of-hearing; and Susan Elliot, who facilitated a discussion panel of young deaf/hard-of-hearing adults. Each shared their experiences and strategies that have helped them be successful.
The Summit featured a broad range of topics:
- Where We've Come: EHDI in Minnesota
- Screening to Diagnosis - Strategies to Ensure Children are not "Lost to Follow-Up"
- Audiology 101 - Putting the Pieces Together
- How Families Adjust to Changing Expectations
- Considering Culture
- Communication and Collaboration between Educational and Clinical Teams
The Summit featured local and national speakers who are leaders in Early Hearing Detection and Intervention.
Susan Elliott
Susan Elliott has taught Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in Colorado public schools at every level since 1977. Was selected as Colorado Teacher of the Year 2009 and National Finalist. Born with a progressive hearing loss, she became profoundly deaf as a teenager. She is National Board Certified and holds master's degrees in Deaf Education and Educational Administration.
Rachel St. John, MD, NCC, NIC-A
Rachel St. John is a board-certified pediatrician, and a nationally certified sign language interpreter. In the past, she has served as the Director of the Kids Clinic for the Deaf at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. While there, Dr. St. John specialized in providing an accessible pediatric medical home for Deaf and hard-of-hearing families. She received her BS degree in psychology at George Mason University. She completed her MD degree at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and then attended Georgetown University Hospital to complete her residency in pediatrics. She spent a total of 5 years there, while simultaneously obtaining an MA degree in counseling from Gallaudet University. Currently, she is working as a Health Education Consultant with the Texas Region 10 Educational Service Center EHDI Pilot Program, and also continues to serve as adjunct faculty in the graduate department of counseling at Gallaudet University, teaching the course in Psychopharmacology.
Janet DesGeorges - National Hands and Voices
Janet DesGeorges lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband Joe and three daughters. Her youngest daughter, Sara, is hard of hearing. She is the parent consultant for the Marion Downs National Center for Infant Hearing, and is the President of Families for Hands & Voices, Colorado Chapter, which has a membership of 1700 representing families who have children who are deaf/hard of hearing. Janet has presented to groups nationwide and internationally about the experiences of families as they journey through life with a child with deafness or hearing loss. Her sensitive and enlightened approach helps professionals relate to the parent perspective.
Dr. Anu Sharma, Ph.D., CCC-A
Professor, Dept. of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder
Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Otolaryngology at the University of Colorado at Denver Health Science Center
Adjunct Professor, University of Texas at Dallas, Callier Center for Communication DisordersFor more than 10 years, Dr. Sharma's research has examined issues related to brain development in children with cochlear implants. In particular, she is interested in examining cortical maturation in children with unilateral and bilateral cochlear implants and in children who are fitted with hearing aids. Dr. Sharma's research is exploring issues related to sensitive periods for central auditory development, cortical re-organization and cross-modal plasticity in children with cochlear implants. In a related line of research, Dr. Sharma is developing clinical biomarkers for auditory cortical maturation in children with hearing impairment and cochlear implants.
Linda Murrans
Linda has been a pediatric audiologist working with children and their families for 30 years. She worked at The Children's Hospital in Denver and Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta before developing an audiology program in the Rehab department at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota-St. Paul in 1999. She and other Children's audiologists provide diagnostic assessment for infants in the NICU, infants from area well baby nurseries and management of infants/children with hearing loss.
