Spring 2010 - Arkansas Children's Hospital

PEDIATRIC CARE
Michelle Leach, an ACH speech therapist,
works with Ella Lindsey each week on speech
development. Ella, who received a cochlear
implant last year, has been a patient of the
Audiology/Speech Pathology clinic at ACH
since she was six months old.
When the ACH South Wing expansion
opens in 2012, the Audiology/Speech
Pathology department will move into a
completely new, larger space, allowing
the team to see more patients and
families than ever before.
ACH Audiology/Speech Pathology Department Is Growing
■ Kila Owens
Immediately after she was born, Ella Grace Lindsey failed a
newborn hearing screening. Ella’s parents, Jared and Ashley,
were concerned, but a nurse assured them their daughter was
fine. A second hearing test was scheduled for the next week,
and Jared and Ashley tried not to worry.
When Ella failed the second hearing test, Ashley felt scared
and uneasy.
“I just knew something was wrong,” she says. “Ella’s pediatrician
assured us that our daughter could not be deaf, but
we weren’t convinced.”
A few months later, Jared and Ashley made an appointment
for Ella with an audiologist at Arkansas Children’s
Hospital. When she again failed all of the hearing tests, her
parents learned the extent of her deafness. Ella had severe to
profound hearing loss in both ears, meaning she was almost
completely deaf.
“It felt surreal,” says Ashley. “Finding out our baby girl
was deaf was hard. It was a very bad day, but the staff members
in the Audiology Clinic were so helpful. They explained
hearing loss to us in a way we could easily understand.”
That very day, impressions were taken of Ella’s ears so custom
hearing aids could be made. The Lindsey family came
back a week later and six-month-old Ella heard her first
sounds with the new hearing aids.
“When Ella first received her hearing aids, we were so
excited,” Jared says. “The staff at ACH walked us through
everything – how to use the hearing aids and how to work
with Ella. They worked at our pace. They helped us understand
what she was going through and how we could make
this as easy as possible for her.”
The Audiology staff members also began talking with Jared and Ashley about
Ella’s future. Because Ella’s hearing loss was so severe, she could eventually receive a
cochlear implant, a surgically implanted device that would improve her hearing.
“We debated the pros and cons of the cochlear implant for a long time,” says
Jared. “This surgery would allow Ella to hear better, but it is permanent. She will
have this device for the rest of her life. We decided to have the implant surgery.
We want Ella to have the best life she can possibly have, and we feel like we made
the right decision.”
Ella received a cochlear implant for her left ear a few days after her first birthday.
She continues to wear a hearing aid in her right ear.
Jared and Ashley appreciate the care their daughter receives at ACH.
“We will never be able to say enough about the wonderful team at ACH,” says
Ashley. “Everyone goes above and beyond to answer any question we may have
and help us any way they can. They work so hard for the kids and it really shows.”
Audiology/Speech Pathology Helps Kids Communicate
The Audiology/Speech Pathology department at ACH is involved in evaluating,
diagnosing and improving any hearing or speech disorders in children.
Hearing loss and speech disorders are common in Arkansas. More than 20,000
patients are treated in the department each year. Ninety-five percent of all
Arkansas children who are diagnosed with hearing loss are diagnosed at ACH,
according to the Arkansas Department of Health.
“Nationally, three of every 1,000 children will experience hearing loss,” says
Patti Martin, director of Audiology/Speech Pathology at ACH. “All children with
hearing loss require speech and language therapy to develop spoken language. We
want to help these children communicate as well as possible, so they can go on to
lead healthy, full lives.”
Audiologists conduct a wide variety of specialized testing to determine the exact
nature of a child’s hearing problem. They present a variety of treatment options to
families, as well as dispense and fit hearing aids, administer special tests of auditory
processing and provide hearing rehabilitation training.
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