A Unique Approach to Early Hearing Loss Intervention
Pediatric audiologist Chrisanda Sanchez takes the helm of the Children’s Hearing Program and touts its comprehensive approach as a national model.
You don’t often think of unicorns as traveling in groups. But as it happens, the Children’s Hearing Program (CHP), part of the UHealth Ear Institute, has more than a few.
Along with seven pediatric audiologists, the CHP boasts a pediatric psychologist, unique in her focus on treating children with hearing loss. The program also has social workers, an educational specialist, auditory verbal therapists and a family navigator, all devoted to holistically helping children and families navigate hearing loss, from diagnosis through schooling.
“While similar individuals may exist in a children’s hospital, they have to serve every child in that hospital,” said CHP director Chrisanda Sanchez, Au.D., an associate professor of clinical otolaryngology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “We have a unique model in that we’re the only clinic in the United States to have all these team members specifically geared to work with kids with hearing loss and their families.”
A Holistic Approach to Hearing Intervention
Dr. Sanchez, who worked at the CHP for nearly a decade before assuming the role of director in early October, is herself a bit of a unicorn. As a Spanish-speaking pediatric audiologist, she found the position tailor-made for her skill set.
“I wanted to work with the hearing loss population, I wanted to work with infants and children under the age of 5 and I wanted to work in an academic hospital setting. That leaves you with about three options in the U.S. And if you add a high Spanish-speaking population, that leads me right to the UM CHP,” said Dr. Sanchez.
Hillary Snapp, Au.D., Ph.D., chief of audiology and director of clinical education at the Miller School, said, “Dr. Sanchez brings exceptional expertise and a deep commitment to excellence to our Children’s Hearing Program. She is an extraordinary pediatric audiologist whose passion for supporting children and families affected by hearing loss is truly unmatched. Under her leadership, this next chapter positions our program to advance innovative, high-quality hearing health care and continue setting the standard for hearing healthcare in our community.”
As director, Dr. Sanchez is tasked with guiding the recently restructured CHP through an expansion of its mission. While it previously handled only referrals for babies and children who had already been diagnosed with hearing loss, now the CHP also coordinates with the Jackson Memorial Holtz Children’s Hospital to administer the Newborn Hearing Screening Program. In 2025 the program screened approximately 1,400 babies, up from 1,000 in 2024 and 300 in 2023.
The Importance of Identifying Hearing Loss Early
Working from guidelines established by the national Joint Committee on Infant Hearing, the goal of the CHP is to identify hearing loss by one month of age, diagnose permanent hearing loss by three months of age and fit children with hearing intervention by six months of age. The sooner hearing loss is remediated with technology like hearing aids, bone conduction devices or cochlear implants, the more positive impact it will have on children’s speech and language development and overall quality of life.
The CHP plays a crucial role in conveying the importance of early intervention, from educating the birthing hospital on the importance of clarifying the referral process to educating pediatricians, who are the front-line medical professional families see once discharged from the hospital. Educating families of children diagnosed with hearing loss is of highest importance, said Dr. Sanchez.
“It takes a lot of counseling and education for families to understand the implications that hearing loss has on a baby’s developing brain and the importance of early hearing intervention,” said Dr. Sanchez. “Research says that if we intervene before a year old, those children can be mainstreamed by the time they’re of preschool or kindergarten age. By intervening early, we are able to mitigate long-term language, academic and social delays. Early hearing allows children to thrive in natural environments through incidental learning alongside their typical hearing peers.”
A National Model for Hearing Loss Intervention
During her time as director, Dr. Sanchez will focus on continuing to build a team that is not only clinically skilled, but also passionate about helping children with hearing loss.
“The initial diagnosis of hearing loss can be devastating for families,” she said. “Having a comprehensive, multidisciplinary team that is equally as passionate and dedicated to supporting these patients is critical in helping families navigate this journey and make informed decisions for their children.”
Dr. Sanchez also aims to continue showcasing the CHP as a model for programs across the U.S. She encourages team members to promote what the program is doing at national and international conferences in the hopes that other programs will be inspired to replicate the CHP’s model.
“At the end of the day, we have to help the kids,” she said. “While the CHP is a robust program serving the South Florida community, this high-quality, specialized care should be offered to all children with hearing loss.”
The CHP sees patients at seven satellite offices across South Florida, from Palm Beach County to the Kendall area.
Tags: audiology, Children's Hearing Program, cochlear implants, Department of Otolaryngology, Division of Audiology, Dr. Chrisanda Sanchez, Dr. Hillary Snapp, hearing, hearing loss, otolaryngology