EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021
(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)
3/03/2021 | 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM | Effects of COVID on Parenting & Mental Health: What can you do to support families? | Topical Breakout
Effects of COVID on Parenting & Mental Health: What can you do to support families?
Early childhood deafness presents unique and long-term challenges, including communication difficulties, social/emotional delays, increased medical/audiological care, and educational challenges. It is well known that lack of early identification of hearing loss and amplification has cascading effects on language and overall development. However, little is known about the impact of mental health and parenting on child outcomes. Research has shown that children with hearing loss are at-risk for depression and anxiety (Cejas et al, in press). However, no studies have investigated the mental health of parents of children with hearing loss, particularly due to the pandemic. This session will report data collected from a parent survey distributed to families by the Children’s Hearing Program at the University of Miami. Twenty-eight percent of parents reported that COVID has made caring for their child worse or a lot worse and over 50% were reporting heightened levels of stress. More importantly, only 5% had consulted with a mental health specialist or were using strategies to help them cope with their distress. More importantly, the impact (e.g., ability to care for your child, emotional well-being) and exposure (e.g., school closures, difficulty getting food) to COVID predicted post-traumatic stress symptoms. Impact of COVID was also associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety, which was related to inconsistent discipline and overall parenting distress. Our session will describe our multidisciplinary management of pediatric hearing loss. As a psychologist and program director of family support services, I will also discuss the role and benefits of including mental health providers into your practice and research on mental health in children with hearing loss. Lastly, strategies for assessing psychosocial barriers and assessing parental stress and well-being when mental health providers are not available will be discussed.
- List screening tools for parenting stress and mental health
- Discuss the impact of COVID on mental health and parenting behaviors
Presentation:
23278_13607IvetteCejas.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Ivette Cejas
(), University of Miami Department of Otolaryngology, icejas@med.miami.edu;
Dr. Ivette Cejas is an Associate Professor and Director of Family Support Services at the University of Miami Ear Institute. She is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Florida. Dr. Cejas is a well-known researcher in pediatric hearing loss, publishing extensively in this area and at numerous conferences. As part of the UM Children’s Hearing program she provides therapeutic services to children and families coping with a hearing loss diagnosis or comorbid disorders. She is an advocate for all children with hearing loss and organizes a comprehensive family program at UHealth to assist families through their journey with hearing loss. She is on the Board of Directors at AG Bell and is a member of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Grants for Other activities from MED EL .
• Receives Grants for Other activities from NIDCD.
Nonfinancial -
• Has a Professional (Board of Directors )
relationship for Board membership.
Chrisanda Sanchez
(), University of Miami Department of Otolaryngology, cmsanchez@med.miami.edu;
Dr. Chrisanda Sanchez is a bilingual pediatric audiologist at the University of Miami. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, the lead pediatric cochlear implant audiologist, and Interim Director of the Children’s Hearing Program at the University of Miami. She has extensive experience in pediatric cochlear implantation, educational audiology, and management of bilingual patients. Dr. Sanchez’s clinical career has centered around pediatrics, specializing in pediatric cochlear implants, hearing aids, and other implantable devices. Her research focuses on mental health, pediatrics, bilingualism, and implantable devices, specifically targeting pediatric cochlear implantation and outcomes.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Jennifer Coto
(), University of Miami Department of Otolaryngology, jennifercoto@med.miami.edu;
Dr. Jennifer Coto is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Otolaryngology at University of Miami. She completed her residency in pediatric psychology at the Children’s Hearing Program (CHP) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Ivette Cejas. Dr. Coto provides clinical services, psychoeducational evaluations, and conducts research activities with children with hearing loss and their families.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -