Ear Community Presents at the 2013 Educational Audiology Conference…

On June 28^th, 2013, Melissa Tumblin, Founder and Exeuctive Director of Ear Community, presented at the Educational Audiology Association in Scottsdale, Arizona at the Montelucia Resort. The EAA invited Melissa to present about Microtia and Atresia and unilateral hearing loss at the conference. The course was presented over a 1.5 hour duration and was offered to audiologists and other medical professionals for 1.5 CEU contact hours of credit while at the conference. In addition to educational audiologists who sat in on the session, clinical audiologists, psychologists, educators of the deaf and hard of hearing, and speech therapists also listened to the presentation. Audiologists and various medical professionals attended the EAA conference from all over the United States including other countries as well such as Australia.

Following the presentation, many attendees who listened to the presentation did come up and speak with me asking additional questions in regards to Microtia and Atresia. The presentation was well received overall. In fact, one Psychologist told me that she was specifically sent to the EAA conference in order to attend my presentation. That was quite an honor. Dr. Michael Macione, the past president for the EAA also stated “Our group really “gets” what you are doing [Melissa] and in the future if there’s anything you need, please let us know. The feedback from your session was very positive. Thank you for putting in the time to speak with us.” It was an honor to have been invited to speak about Microtia and Atresia and unilateral hearing loss at this year’s EAA.

While attending the EAA conference, I was also able to meet many audiologists whom I have been speaking with over the past three years and finally meet them in person. One individual in particular that I finally had the opportunity to meet in person was Dr. Linda Cox, who has really taken Ear Community and myself under her wing. Dr. Cox is an audiologist who is specialized in educating the deaf and hard of hearing. Dr. Cox is also an Advisory Board member for Ear Community and continues to help promote awareness for the Microtia and Atresia community by sharing information on Ear Community’s website with colleagues and various professionals within the audiology industry. Below are pictures of some of the wonderful audiology professionals who have helped mentor me over the years and who helped me understand hearing loss regarding my own daughter’s Microtia and Atresia.  I was also able to meet up with a Microtia and Atresia family whom I have known for the past couple of years.  It was so nice to finally meet Tom and Sarinah Tran and their beautiful daughter, Emma, who was born with Microtia and Atresia and has had Medpor ear reconstructive surgery along with canalplasty surgery.  Here is the link to the EAA website showing the line up of speakers at the conference that took place over June 27^th and June 28^th: http://www.edaud.org/displayconvention.cfm?conventionnbr=11594

For more information about the EAA, please visit:  http://www.edaud.org/index.cfm

Thanks so much,Melissa Tumblin Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community