2011-00-02
National Early Childhood Assessment Project: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder
The long term goal for this research proposal is to establish a NECAP (National Early Childhood Assessment Project: Deaf and Hard of Hearing) database of the developmental outcomes of children in the state/territory EHDI programs. The specific objectives that will be required to accomplish this long term goal are:
1. Add 5 additional states/territories to the 5 states/territories from the original pilot project(2008-2011) who are currently collecting data on a significant portion of their population and want support to establish an outcome database of infants/toddlers/children identified with hearing loss through the state/territory EHDI. Optimally, states need to have a dedicated EHDI coordinator, a Hands & Voices chapter, and an early intervention state coordinator who has contact with early intervention providers of infants/toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
2. State/territory representatives will develop a state plan for soliciting collaboration from all key players within the state/territory.
3. State/territory representatives will identify the highest priorities for technical assistance needed to achieve their goals.
4. Collect and analyze the data on developmental outcomes, parent surveys, early intervention characteristics, diagnosis of hearing loss, degree and severity of hearing loss. The goal will be for the NECAP data to become part of the CDC EHDI state/territory databases with the goal of annual reporting to CDC.
5. Parents will be asked to report specific information obtained from their audiologist about characteristics of the hearing loss. This information will include: type (sensory, conductive,mixed, auditory neural) and degree of hearing loss (mild, moderate, severe, profound),symmetry of hearing loss (unilateral versus bilateral). Data would be reported both from the initial ABR diagnostic evaluation and also from subsequent audiologic evaluations that can provide a pure tone average.
6. When possible, parent surveys will be conducted with Hands & Voices chapters and will include information such as the quality of services received from hospital screening programs, audiologists and intervention providers, the timing of the services, and family support systems.
