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  4. LEND Audiology Trainees Learn and Shine at EHDI 2016

LEND Audiology Trainees Learn and Shine at EHDI 2016

May 3, 2016

On March 13-15, AUCD members joined nearly 1,000 diverse stakeholders in San Diego, CA, for the 15th annual Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Meeting, organized jointly by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, and the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management at Utah State University. The meeting aims to enhance the implementation of comprehensive state-based EHDI programs in the hopes of maximizing linguistic competence and literacy development for infants and young children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

This year's meeting was attended by a record 175 students, including 50 audiology trainees representing 17 different Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs. Before the meeting, these LEND trainees and faculty gathered for a case-based workshop focused on serving children with hearing loss and additional disabilities. After a presentation from an experienced parent leader who has an adult child with CHARGE Syndrome, trainees worked through case prompts in small teams. They discussed clinical considerations, collaborating with other professionals to achieve optimal outcomes, and how to help a hypothetical family access the full range community support resources. Trainee feedback on the event was overwhelmingly positive; nearly 98% of participants "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that as a result of the workshop, they could more capably serve future patients and families.

Trainees had ample opportunities to present their research (12 of the 40 total conference student posters were submitted by LEND trainees and faculty) and connect with both professionals and other students. AUCD's Interdisciplinary Technical Assistance Center on Autism and Related Disabilities (ITAC) was pleased to provide travel scholarships for eight LEND audiology trainees, including Cristian Gentile from the Mailman Center for Child Development in Miami, FL, whom along wiht his co-authors, was awarded best poster in the "Audiological Services" category.