title: Children With Sensorineural Hearing Loss And Referral To Early Intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is identified at a rate of 1-3 per 1,000 newborns in the United States. Timely referral to Early Intervention (EI) services is critical, as early EI referral has been shown to improve outcomes, including speech and language development, social and emotional development, and academic performance. The objective of this study was to determine the rate at which children diagnosed with SNHL at a large tertiary referral center were referred to EI, and, if so, by whom. In addition, we sought to determine the time from the diagnosis of SNHL to the completion of the referral, and what services were received.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected by telephone survey and review of the electronic medical record
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with SNHL were referred to and participated in EI at a high rate. All children in this study (100%) were referred to EI. Most (92%) of the children were referred by 6 months of age, and almost all (98%) participated in EI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At our institution, children with SNHL are being consistently referred to EI, meeting the goals of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program. Future outcomes research can now be designed to determine whether achieving these benchmark goals improves children's academic performance, expressive and receptive language skills, and development as compared to age-matched, normal hearing peers.
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Marchegiani
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Germiller
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment; D003625:Data Collection; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015143:Philadelphia; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors