Disorder Co-occurrence

Comprehensive assessment is critical in characterizing the difficulties of students who have auditory processing disorder (APD) because APD commonly co-occurs with language impairment and reading disorders. Researchers at Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia) and the University of Auckland (New Zealand) used a range of assessments to measure auditory processing, language, reading, attention, and memory abilities in 68 children suspected of having APD; 72% of the children had APD and about half of the children (47%) had co-existing APD, language impairment, and reading disorders. More students had co-occurring APD/reading disorders or APD/language impairment than had APD, reading disorders, or language impairment alone. The study, in the June 2009 issue of the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, is available for CEUs.

Long QT Syndrome in Children with Deafness

Jervell and Lange-Nielson syndrome (JLN) is an infrequent form of long QT syndrome, a cardiac condition that causes the heart muscle to take longer than usual to recharge between beats. According to research at Apollo Hospitals in India, this inheritable condition is associated with congenital deafness, particularly in patients with a history of marriages between blood relatives. Long QT syndrome can increase susceptibility to sudden cardiac death and recurring loss of consciousness; researchers advise long QT syndrome screening for children with congenital deafness. Visit Indian Pediatrics (June 17, 2009).

Improved Implant Outcomes

The Cochlear Implant Program at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), in collaboration with researchers at the University of Western Ontario's National Centre for Audiology, has joined 16 other centers from around the world to form HEARRING--The International Network of Comprehensive Hearing Implant Centers of Excellence.

"HEARRING will provide a new and unique opportunity for collaborative research, clinical problem-solving, and support," said Lorne Parnes, medical and surgical director of LHSC's cochlear implant program.

Member clinics are located in Austria, Belgium, Poland, Germany, France, Spain, United Kingdom, China, Columbia, India, Australia, Argentina, Russia, and Switzerland. The network aims to set standards for scientific research, establish training, and define interdisciplinary clinical skill sets to meet patients' needs throughout the cochlear implant journey. For more information, visit the HEARRING Web site.