AAA 2021 Virtual: Newborn Hearing Screening in the Genomic Era: A Call to Action During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Presented at AAA 2021 Virtual

Presenter:  A. Eliot Shearer, MD PhD 

Duration: 30 minutes

CEUs: 0.05 AAA

Instructional Level: Intermediate

Program Focus: Knowledge

Learning Outcomes: Upon completion, each participant in the eAudiology Web Seminar will be able to:

1. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the current newborn hearing screening methods.
2. Identify the importance of genetic evaluation for hearing loss.
3. List the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact

Description:  

Newborn hearing screening (NBHS) has been successful at identification of children with hearing loss but is hampered by a high false positive rate and a high loss to follow up. Our data show that many newborns are missing hearing screening due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Genetic testing has become essential in diagnostic evaluation of children with hearing loss. We propose that the current NBHS can be improved by incorporating genetic testing and cCMV screening as part of a ‘comprehensive’ NBHS.”

Sponsored by:

A. Eliot Shearer, MD PhD

Dr. Eliot Shearer completed his MD, PhD, and residency training in Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. He then completed a fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School where he is now currently a faculty member. His laboratory studies the genetics of hearing loss and other ear, nose, and throat disorders. He is internationally recognized for his work in developing a new genetic testing platform for the diagnosis of hearing loss and has written many research articles and several book chapters on the subject. Dr. Shearer also studies ways to improve the newborn hearing screen using new technologies and ways to improve outcomes for children with cochlear implants.

Disclosure: Financial Disclosures: Nothing to report