This topic area spans across professions encompassing issues applicable to audiologists, speech language pathologists, and research scientists who work with children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH), their families, and professionals who serve them. Proposals appropriate for submission to this topic area include assessment and management of children who are DHH, ages birth to 21. Submissions should address communication assessments for auditory development, language—including spoken, signed, and written language, and speech. Additionally, proposals related to intervention services including technology (e.g., hearing assistive technology, educational audiologic management, speech and language therapy, literacy) align with this topic area. Interprofessional education, practice, and/or research that addresses collaborative care and outcomes specific to listening, language and speech in children who DHH should be included in this topic area.

Research

• Translational, applied, or implementation research related to intervention/(re)habilitation for individuals who are DHH from birth to school transition, including studies that promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility
• Evidence-based practice for children who are DHH
• Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches

Professional Education

• Early intervention services for infants/toddlers who are DHH, including interprofessional models
• Intervention/(re)habilitation for children who are DHH
• Communication options/opportunities for children who are DHH
• Matters regarding service delivery models for children who are DHH in educational settings, including telepractice
• Impact of hearing differences on academic/educational performance
• Impact of hearing differences on psychosocial, speech, language, and literacy outcomes
• Education and training of caregiversprofessionals working with children who are DHH
• Topics intended to promote inclusion for children who are DHH, increased awareness of inequities in clinical practice, and advance diversity in pediatric hearing healthcare
• Topics that highlight neuro-affirming assessment and management for children who are DHH

Related Topics

Proposals involving this population but with a primary focus on:

• Auditory processing should be submitted to the Neuroaudiology and Central Auditory Processing topic area.
• Use of telepractice in service delivery to this population that include technology-based approaches and outcomes at the system level should be submitted to the Telepractice topic area.
• Behavioral and electrophysiologic diagnostic assessment for hearing loss should be submitted to the Hearing, Balance, Tinnitus – Assessment and Intervention: Pediatric topic area.
• Proposals that focus on counseling should be submitted to the Counseling, Trauma-Informed, and Contextualized Care topic area.