SO U N D
MAT T E R S
2016 • ISSUE 1
Sound Matters
Audiology Newsletter of the Minnesota Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program
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Enhancing Care
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Parent-to-Parent support is key to family-centered care
When parents receive social/emotional support from
other parents with similar life experiences, they are
equipped with knowledge and resources that help them
function more effectively on behalf of their Deaf/Hardof-Hearing (D/HH) child (Moeller, 2013). Parent-toparent support from experienced parents is necessary
and cannot be replicated by health care professionals
(Henderson et al, 2014). Family-to-family support is
a best practice goal, and parents rank family-to-family
support as one of the most helpful forms of support
(JCIH, 2013). Because it has been shown to be so
important, state and federal funding is provided to states
for parent-to-parent support programs. In Minnesota,
the funded organization is Minnesota Hands & Voices
(MNHV).
When MNHV receives a referral, a highly trained
parent guide contacts the family, explains that they are
also a parent of a child who is D/HH, and asks what
is first and foremost on their minds. The conversation
then shapes around the needs of the referred parent.
The guide helps the referred parent understand all
the components of the EHDI system in an unbiased
did you know?
manner. If appropriate, the guide will offer in-person
visits, facilitate connections to other parents, provide
information and resources, and suggest family oriented
D/HH social and education events. MNHV also
distributes a newsletter and maintains a website www.
mnhandsandvoices.org to assist parents in understanding
key issues and options related to hearing loss. Cultural
Parent Guides are available for ASL, English, Hmong,
Somali, and Spanish.
Parent surveys show high satisfaction with MNHV
support including:
• Professionalism, knowledge, and sensitivity of
Parent Guide
• Helpful resources
• Unbiased information
• Timeliness of MNHV contact with family
• Gaining an improved support system
Audiologists can assure that families receive timely
parent-to-parent support by making a direct referral to
MNHV at 651-265-2435, or online at https://www.
mnhandsandvoices.org/secure/submitpatientreferral.aspx.
Pediatric Audiology Pre-session
February 25, 2016
Mark your calendar! MDH and the Minnesota Academy of Audiology will again partner to offer a FREE Pediatric
Audiology Pre-Session http://www.minnesotaaudiology.org/UMAC-Schedule for the Upper Midwest Audiology
Conference. Session topics include: Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (Tier 1 CEU’s), Objective Test
Protocols and Interpretation, and Pediatric Grand Rounds. The featured speaker for the Pre-session is Pat Roush from
the University of North Carolina. Register at http://www.minnesotaaudiology.org/UMAC-2016-information.
Spotlight Story
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There is a lot of energy and effort that comes with
newborn hearing screening and follow-up for a “did not
pass” result. My son, Anthony, is one of those who did
not pass. We were told not to worry; that many kids do
not pass. We pursued follow-up testing with a pediatric
audiologist who determined that Anthony did have a
permanent severe bilateral hearing loss.
As parents, we all have goals and dreams for our
children. For a child with a hearing condition, knowing
early is the most proactive step we can take in ensuring
that the accomplishment of those goals and dreams are
within reach.
Research demonstrates that the earlier intervention
is started, the better the outcomes of the child.
Individuals who conduct the newborn hearing screening,
pediatricians, audiologists, and other professionals
who are connected to the family have an incredible
opportunity and responsibility to educate parents about
newborn hearing screening. This would include the next
steps if a child does not pass. Please do not give parents
“permission” not to follow-up by telling them not to worry.
Give them facts. Tell them the only way to know for sure
about their child’s hearing is to complete a comprehensive
hearing evaluation with a pediatric audiologist. Share
with them the importance of early identification and the
developmental consequences of waiting.
Anthony is entering high school this year. He competes
on par with his hearing peers. Although newborn
hearing screening and early identification were just the
start, watching our son now reach his own goals and
dreams would not have been possible if not for learning
early about his hearing condition.
Please keep your eyes on the “prize”. The efforts made
today with educating parents about the importance of
newborn hearing screening and follow-up will provide
opportunities for children to reach their full potential.
~Lisa Kovacs
Director of Programs, Hands & Voices
Latest News and Research
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) - Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
(EHDI) program has produced a video for Spanishspeaking families who are in need of hearing followup when their baby does not pass newborn hearing
screening. The video, Qué tan bien oye su hijo? Lo que
los padres deben saber (How well can your child hear?
What parents need to know), describes experiences of
Spanish speaking families when they received “did not
pass” results for their babies’ hearing screening. In this
culturally appropriate Spanish-language video, family
stories provide facts and encouragement to help others
promptly seek out follow-up.
Have You Heard?
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Deaf Mentor Family Program
Lifetrack Resources of Minnesota provides a Deaf
Mentor Family Program. The program pairs children
who are Deaf / Hard of Hearing from birth to age six
with a trained Deaf Mentor. This partnership focuses
on communication needs by providing instruction in
American Sign Language, early visual communication
methods, and Deaf Culture. More information and a
program application is available on the website.
Report – Refer – Connect
Use the attached mini-poster to easily reference the three
major steps in EHDI follow-up!
Report: Using the Audiology Results Report Form,
report: 1) All rescreen and diagnostic audiologic results
from newborn screening referrals until definitive
diagnosis; 2) Follow-up results for conductive loss (only
those identified after REFER on newborn screen) until
hearing is documented as normal or permanent hearing
loss is identified; and 3) older children with newly
confirmed permanent hearing loss through age ten.
Refer to Early Intervention: Please remember to refer
all children with permanent or persistent hearing loss
(unilateral or bilateral, sensory or persistent conductive)
to Minnesota Help Me Grow with the Help Me Grow
Refer a Child form.
Connect: Making direct referrals to Minnesota Hands
& Voices for all children with any type and degree of
permanent hearing loss assures timely family-to-family
support.
Last Words from the
Advisory Committee
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Meeting highlights...
• Collaborative discussion on “Lost to Follow-up” due
to no audiology appointment
• Early Childhood Outreach (ECHO) continues to
train Head Start staff on OAE hearing screening
beyond the newborn period
• MNScreen, Minnesota Newborn Screening
Electronic Reporting System, currently has 33% of
hospitals active on the system, 36% in process, and
the remaining 31% projected to come online during
2016
Next meeting: Contact Us:
Newborn Screening
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
February 10, 2016
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Wilder Foundation
451 Lexington Parkway North
St. Paul, MN 55104