Infant and Pediatric Audiology-URLEND
Project Description:
Project Context:
In Utah, over 98% of newborns are screened for hearing loss, and each year 150 infants are identified with a permanent hearing loss. The referral rate in Utah for those infants who do not pass the initial screen is approximately 5-6%, but of those infants who are referred from the initial hospital screening, evidence of screening completion and diagnostic results can only be documented for 65-70%.
When children with permanent hearing loss are identified early, fit with appropriate hearing aids or cochlear implants, and receive early intervention services from trained staff, most are able to progress at age-appropriate, and require few, if any, special education services. If babies don't have access to timely and appropriate diagnostic assessments, the continued sustainability of newborn hearing screening programs may be jeopardized.
Presently, there is a critical shortage of audiologists who have the expertise and experience to do diagnostic assessments on 0 to 3-month-old babies and this is jeopardizing all of the work and expense that has gone into establishing hospital-based newborn hearing screening programs.
The shortage of qualified and experienced pediatric audiologist to do the assessments and fitting/maintenance of hearing technology is not due to a shortage of audiologists. Rather the need for pediatric audiologists and the technology and equipment for working with infants is so new that most licensed audiologists do not have the skills and most university training programs have not fully addressed the gaps in their training curricula. There is an urgent need to find avenues for graduate audiology students as well as practicing audiologists to enhance and advance their clinical skills.
Project Focus:
The Utah Regional Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (URLEND) at the CPD and its partners will provide interdisciplinary training to both graduate students and practicing professionals in the field of audiology. The URLEND faculty, with expertise in infant and pediatric audiology are at USU, which also has the largest graduate program in audiology in the state.
Products/Services:
This project will provide long-term (300 clock hours didactic clinical and leadership training to audiology doctoral students and practicing professionals as part of the Utah Regional Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (URLEND) program.
FY 2012 Focus
There are currently 3 trainees enrolled for the Infant and Pediatric Audiology URLEND 2011-2012 year.
Core Function(s):
Training Trainees, Performing Technical Assistance and/or Training, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information
Area of Emphasis
Health-Related Activities, Other - Leadership
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Disadvantaged Circumstances, Specific Groups
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
Regional
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
