Page 12 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL NEWS MAY 2021

Miami Transplant Institute Hosts Can You Hear Me Now?

Worldwide Conference on Impact Important Facts During Better Hearing

of COVID on Cardiovascular Care & Speech Month - May 2021

The division of heart and lung transplantation and Learning and education begins long before a child enters
mechanical support of the UM department of Surgery is a classroom. From the very first time you speak to your
host to an international conference exploring the impact infant (“I’m your mom” and “Daddy’s been waiting to
of the COVID pandemic on cardiovascular care around meet you”), your baby is listening and learning language.
the globe. The 19th expert forum of the prestigious In fact, your baby is listening to the world for almost an
Roland Hetzer International Cardiovascular Surgery entire year before she or he utters her or his first word. If
Society brings together leaders in cardiac care from 5 all parts of the hearing system are not functioning proper-
continents and some health care administrators and ly, delays in speech and language are likely to occur.
politicians. Experts will report on their national experi- Hearing loss is the most common disorder present at
ence during the COVID pandemic and how their health birth, but unlike other disorders, hearing loss is invisible
care systems dealt with the unparalleled challenges of the and frequently goes undetected until age 2, later if the
new infection. In the U.S. alone elective cardiac proce- hearing loss is less severe or in only one ear. Even mild
dures were down by over 60% due to COVID in 2020, hearing losses and hearing loss in one ear can affect BY BARBARA A.
and lung transplants were less often performed during Dr. Matthias Loebe speech, language, listening skills, and educational per- GREENBERG-
the pandemic. Many patients had to be supported by ECMO, an artificial lung formance. For this reason, KIDZ Medical Services began CORDERO, M.S.,
replacement machine. Now an increasing number of patients require lung trans- the First Sounds Newborn Hearing Screening Program in
plants for irreversible lung damage due to COVID-19. 1999, long before it became mandated by law. CCC-A, FAAA
“Bringing together front line workers from all around the world and learning from Babies can't tell us if they are not hearing well. Prior to
each other how to approach the challenges of an unprecedented new disease will the introduction of newborn hearing screening programs in Florida, the average age
help all of us to find ways to better help our patients, who are in desperate need for of identification of hearing loss was 14 months or greater. Since the initiation of the
good advanced therapies in heart and lung disease” says Matthias Loebe, M.D., newborn hearing screening, the average age of confirmation of hearing loss has
Ph.D., president of the RH international surgical society and chief of heart and lung decreased to 2-3 months of age.
transplantation at the University of Miami. The society used to meet several times
per year and would hold these expert forums as part of large international congress- The Importance of Newborn Screening
es in the field of cardiac surgery. After a hiatus of almost two years, the society meets The later a hearing problem is detected, the more difficult it will be to overcome
for the first time virtually. “We have all been working together for many years, we these delays. That is why it is so important to have your newborn’s hearing screened
value the exchange with our friends and peers from around the world, so we are at birth and to follow up with a pediatric audiologist if your newborn doesn’t pass this
looking forward to meet in person again. But this subject is of such pressing rele- screening. The audiologist will conduct further testing to determine how your baby is
vance for all of us and for the communities we serve, that we all felt we have to get hearing, whether or not there is a problem, and if so, whether it is temporary or per-
together virtually and share the latest trends in dealing with heart patients affected manent. Delaying the newborn hearing screening can delay a diagnosis and treatment
by COVID.” The proceedings of the conference will be made available through the if a hearing loss exists. If your baby wasn’t born in a hospital, talk to your pediatrician
webpage of the RHICS. about where you can go to have your baby’s hearing screened, or visit a pediatric audi-

ologist in your area.
For more information, contact Dr. Matthias Loebe
Newborn hearing screening is only the first step in early detection of hearing loss.
at mxl1039@miami.edu or (305) 355-5348. Hearing can change at any time as your child grows. Additionally, any baby who has

spent time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, has a blood relative with hearing loss
that occurred in early childhood, or has any type of malformation in their head or ear
Steps From Holy Cross Hospital may be at slightly higher risk for developing hearing loss. These babies should be
monitored periodically by a pediatric audiologist to ensure that no changes in hearing
are detected.
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Parents and other family members are usually the first to suspect that their baby or
child may have a hearing problem. Some signs to look for are:
• Lack of awareness or inconsistent responses to sounds by 6 months of age
• Does not respond when you call his/her name at 7 months to 1 year
• Does not point to familiar objects by 15 months
• Does not follow simple directions by 1-2 years
• Does not say 6 - 20 words by 18 months
• Does not put two words together by 24 months (“want juice,” “daddy go”)
• Pulling or scratching at ears
• Difficulty in school at any age
Parents should never take a “wait and see” position, but should see a licensed audi-
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Even if your child is diagnosed with a permanent hearing loss, today there are many
opportunities for a complete and fulfilling life. Children are perfect the way they are,
x &ƌĞĞƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐ ǀĂĐĂŶƚ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ and allied health professionals can help them achieve their best. There are many
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ZK< Z For more information on hearing, speech and language, visit www.infanthearing.org or
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Barbara Greenberg-Cordero is Audiologist, KIDZ Medical Services.

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12 May 2021 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News