EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021
(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)
Library of visual reinforcers designed for children with developmental disabilities
Audiologists often report that it is difficult to obtain accurate behavioral thresholds for children with developmental disabilities (e.g. Gans & Gans, 1993; Widen, 1990). However, for infants (> 6 months) and children, an audiogram is the “gold standard” of hearing healthcare (ASHA, 2004) and is the cornerstone upon which a correct differential diagnosis and access to the appropriate interventions are built. One explanation for why behavioral methods are not well-suited for children with diverse or complex developmental profiles is because they are based on the assumptions of typical child development and auditory behavior. For example, in visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) infants (> 6 months) and children are taught to make a head-turn response towards a visual reinforcer: a mechanical toy or a brief video. A key assumption of this method is that the visual reinforcer is engaging and motivating for the infant or child. However, clinics are currently using visual reinforcers that were developed for typically-developing infants. These reinforcers may not be appropriate for children with developmental disabilities when they do not match the child’s specific, often highly-restricted interests, or when they do not reflect age appropriate interests, as in situations where VRA is used with older children. The purpose of this poster is to share a recently developed library of visual reinforcers that can be used by audiologists when conducting VRA testing with children with developmental disabilities. Over 30 reinforcer themes were developed based on commonly reported interests of children with developmental disabilities. Digital materials were obtained from open access, online depositories and can be incorporated into commercially-available VRA systems or a custom PC setup. During this presentation, we will discuss the potential benefit of these materials and how they can be implemented into clinical practice. Attendees will also receive free access to all the developed materials.
Poster:
23278_13637EmilyKay.pdf
Presenter: Emily Kay
Emily is a third-year doctorate of audiology student from the University of Colorado Boulder. She graduated from University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign with a B.S. in Speech and Hearing Sciences and a minor in Linguistics. She is interested improving audiologic assessments for children with complex developmental profiles.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Grants for Employment from American Speech-Language_Hearing Foundation and the Leardership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, and Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Amanda Hemann is currently a second year Au.D student at the University of Colorado Boulder. She graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a B.A. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Psychology. Prior to graduation she worked in a diverse preschool program for six years creating an engaging and cohesive classroom where children were supported to reach their personal maximums. Amanda’s interests include adapting situations and material to make them developmentally appropriate for people with special needs in medical, education, and community settings. Her other interests include outreach and support in teaching self-advocacy skills to people with developmental differences.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Deborah Mood, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with Developmental Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She has a Ph.D. in school psychology from University of Northern Colorado and a specialist degree in school psychology from Gallaudet University. Dr. Mood completed a LEND psychology postdoctoral fellowship at JFK Partners, University of Colorado School of Medicine, after completing an APA accredited psychology internship at the University of Minnesota. She specializes in working with children who are deaf and hard of hearing as well as children with a variety of developmental disabilities including autism spectrum disorder.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Kristen Sommerfeldt is a faculty member at the University of Colorado- Boulder, a practicing audiologist at UCHealth Hearing and Balance Clinic, and the president-elect of the Colorado Academy of Audiology.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Dr. Angela Yarnell Bonino is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Bonino's research is in the area of human auditory development. Dr. Bonino is also affiliated with the Colorado Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program. She completed her clinical training in audiology at Vanderbilt University, and her Ph.D. and postdoctoral training in auditory development at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -