We talk with Dr. Rachel St. John from Children's Health about the importance of early language access and collaborative care for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

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EARN CME

Reflect on how this Podcast applies to your day-to-day and earn AMA PRA Category 1 CMEs: https://earnc.me/FldBcV

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SHOW NOTES

In this episode, Dr. Rachel St. John joins our hosts Dr. Ashley Agan and Dr. Gopi Shah to speak about different aspects of care for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, from counseling to medical treatment.

Dr. St. John first speaks about what a comprehensive evaluation of a deaf child entails; from counseling the patient and their families, to educating families about current and future management, and rounding it off with the importance and effectiveness of collaborating with a multidisciplinary approach. She continues to talk specifics in terms of work-up regarding labs, imaging, and the possibility of genetic testing. A key aspect of this decision making is in speaking with families and understanding what their priorities and goals are and working as a team to set realistic ones.

The discussion continues while touching on specific causes of pediatric hearing loss, including Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct among others, and the management and treatment thereof. Dr. St. John also speaks about counseling the patient as well and taking into account their age and giving guidance to setting realistic expectations, both in their school and home life.

Lastly, Dr. St. John discusses the importance of early language intervention and stresses the importance of introducing some aspect of language into the child’s development as early as possible, regardless of hearing loss or not. The early years can be vital for learning and chidren have a narrow window for language development; early intervention can greatly improve learning later down in life in Deaf and Hard of Hearing children.

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RESOURCES

Family Focus Center website - https://www.childrens.com/specialties-services/specialty-centers-and-programs/ear-nose-and-throat/programs-and-services/ffc-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-children

American Academy of Pediatrics, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention - https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/PEHDIC/Pages/Early-Hearing-Detection-and-Intervention.aspx