SO U N D
MAT T E R S
2014 • ISSUE 4
Audiology Newsletter of the Minnesota Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program
•
EHDI Teamwork
•
•
•
•
Let’s “Move the Needle”
“As I go around the state, the stories that I hear convince
me (again) of the power of communities working with
the Department of Health to implement systems and
changes to make Minnesota a healthy place. Together we
can make Minnesota a healthy place for ALL.”
These comments from our state Commissioner of
Health echo the mantra of Minnesota’s EHDI program
and the National Center for Hearing Assessment and
Management (NCHAM). Together, we can partner
to “Move the Needle” and continue improving the
EHDI system to ensure that the benefits of early hearing
detection and intervention are available to all Minnesota
newborns. The Minnesota EHDI Annual Report 2013
provides an overview of our progress. And yet, there is
significant work to be done!
Evidence-based collaboration with audiologists
throughout the state is critical to increase the percentage
of infants who complete rescreening by one month of age
and who complete definitive diagnosis by three months
of age. Currently in Minnesota, although nearly 99
percent of newborns receive hearing screening prior to
did you know?
discharge; only 68.4 percent of those who need followup complete rescreening by one month of age and only
37.5 percent complete diagnosis by three months of age.
Key practices that can help “Move the Needle” and
increase the likelihood of timely and complete diagnosis
in your community are:
• Scheduling follow-up visits before discharge
• Performing outpatient rescreens by two weeks of age
• Eliminating multiple rescreens
• Scheduling full audiologic evaluations after the first
non-passing outpatient visit
• Using a complete diagnostic test battery to assess
type and degree of hearing loss in each ear (ideally
between four to six weeks of age)
• Communicating to other medical providers that
middle ear fluid should not delay this timeline
Not sure if these practices are occurring in your
community? Contact us and we can help brainstorm
about ways to implement a strategy for improvement, if
these are not routine practices.
New webinar recordings available!
• Objective Procedures for Infant Auditory Assessment: The Big Picture by Dr. James Hall – This webinar reviews
important information for accurate diagnosis of infant hearing loss.
• Congenital CMV101~From Prevention to Treatment – This webinar was sponsored by NCHAM and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention in preparation for the Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Public Health & Policy
Conference in Salt Lake City from Sept. 26-27, 2014.
Have You Heard?
• • • • •
Updated PASS/REFER notification sheets available
in multiple languages!
Updated versions of the MDH PASS/REFER Result:
Hearing Screen Result Notification sheets for parents
are now available in English, Hmong, Karen,
Russian, Somali, and Spanish. All of Minnesota’s
hospitals and birth centers have received updates
on these resources and can order free color copies
through the Newborn Screening Program website.
Audiologists who provide outpatient rescreening may
also find these Hearing Screen Result Notifications
useful to support families’ understanding of auditory
milestones and the importance of follow-up
appointments, if needed.
Evidence-based overview of ophthalmic disorders
in deaf children: a literature update
The prevalence of ophthalmic disorders in children
who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) ranges from
40 to 60 percent. Because vision is critical for children
who are D/HH to develop language skills (spoken
and/or sign), early recognition of vision disorders is
crucial. This review assesses the quality of published
evidence on ophthalmic disorders to contribute to
better diagnosis and management of these conditions.
The document further supports and expands on the
recommendations of the Joint Committee on Infant
Hearing that “all infants with confirmed hearing loss
be evaluated by an ophthalmologist with experience
in evaluating infants.”
Have a smart phone or
other device?
Scan here to get the 2013
EHDI Annual Report at
your fingertips!
Last Words from the
Advisory Committee
• • • • •
Meeting highlights...
• Regional EHDI education teams to begin new focus
on quality early intervention services for D/HH
infants and toddlers
• Affiliation with the National Help Me Grow program
will be explored to broaden the reach of Minnesota
Help Me Grow
• MDH 2013 EHDI Annual Report is now available
• MDH follow-up data after diagnosis of hearing loss
was reviewed
• Past meeting agendas and minutes can be found on
the Newborn Screening Program website
Next meeting: Contact Us:
Newborn Screening Program
601 Robert St N, St Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (800) 664-7772 or (651) 201-5466
Fax: (651) 215-6285
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.health.state.mn.us/newbornscreening
EHDI Website: www.improveehdi.org/mn
November 12, 2014
2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Minnesota Department of Education
MDE Conference Center B
1500 Hwy 36 West, Roseville