Diagnostic Audiologists
The Role of the Audiologist in Ohio’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program:
- Complete diagnostic hearing evaluations on babies who do not pass their newborn hearing screening using a battery of physiologic tests (JCIH 2007).
- Monitor and evaluate infants and toddlers at risk for hearing loss.
- Ensure infants and toddlers with hearing loss are referred to Help Me Grow for early intervention services in a timely manner consistent with Federal guidelines.
- Educate families about the results of the hearing evaluation and what the results mean in terms of speech and language development.
- Report diagnostic hearing evaluation results to the Ohio Department of Health accurately and timely for program accountability and reduction of loss to follow-up.
Responsibilities During the Diagnostic Hearing Evaluation
- Conduct appropriate diagnostic testing to determine type and degree of hearing loss, if any, that may follow the COACH Protocol Flow Chart.
- Share the results of the diagnostic hearing evaluation both verbally and in writing with the parents/caregivers (in the family’s primary language, if possible).
- Ensure the family can restate the next steps following the diagnostic appointment including results and the need for future appointments.
- Provide information about unbiased communication options and resource materials to families.
- Provide information about early intervention services to families.
Responsibilities After the Diagnostic Hearing Evaluation
- Report results to the baby’s Primary Care Provider and the Ohio Department of Health Infant Hearing Program within 7 business days of the evaluation.
- Refer infants and toddlers with hearing loss to early intervention services within 7 days of the diagnosis and report the date of the referral to the Ohio Department of Health.
- Remind families/caregivers of any upcoming appointments for additional testing.
Trainings for Pediatric Audiologists available on OhioTrain.
- Amplification Validation and Functional Testing
- Assessment of Middle Ear Function and Otoacoustic Emissions
- Behavioral Audiologic Assessment Outcomes of Children with Hearing Loss
- Challenges in Diagnosis and Management in Children with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder
- COACH Protocol: Click and Tone Burst Air and Bone ABR, ASSR
- Impact of EHDI in the 21st Century
- Pediatric Hearing Instrument Fitting and Verification
- Putting it all Together; EHDI: What Have We Learned
- Understanding the Needs of Children who are Deaf/HH Plus
- When is it time to consider BAHA or Cochlear Implants?
Resources for Pediatric Audiologists
- Audiology Appointment Checklist
- Written Diagnostic Hearing Evaluation Results
- Quality Assurance Reporting Tool
- Request Early Intervention Materials from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) https://ohioearlyintervention.org/printed-materials