Cochlear Implant Team

Medical/Surgical

	Daniel J. Kirse, MD, FAAP Pediatric Otolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgery Specialist Cochlear Implant Surgeon
	Adele K. Evans, MD, FAAP Pediatric Otolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgery Specialist Cochlear Implant and BAHA® Surgeon
	Amy S. Whigham, MD Pediatric Otolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgery Specialist Cochlear Implant and BAHA® Surgeon

Dr. Kirse preceded his time at Brenner Children's Hospital with 6 years at the University of Kansas and his training at The Children's Hospital, Boston. Prior to joining Brenner, Dr. Evans, Dr. Evans spent 2 years at Duke University and trained at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Whigham joined the faculty in the summer of 2011 after completing her fellowship at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC.

All three surgeons are extensively trained in the medical and surgical treatment of acute and chronic disorders of the ear, as well as specifically in pediatric cochlear implantation.

Brenner's pediatric cochlear implant surgeons first assess each child with hearing loss for diagnosis and management. They seek treatable causes of hearing loss and preventable causes of progression of hearing loss or related diseases, and they participate in the evaluation of the child for candidacy for assistive devices, from hearing aids to Baha® to cochlear implantation. They also treat any other related disorders or make appropriate referrals, such as to Genetics, to Developmental Pediatrics, Pediatric Ophthalmology and/or Neurology.

Audiology

Kelly Murphy, AuD
Clinical Manager, Audiology
Pediatric and Implant Audiologist

Meagan Lewis, AuD 
Pediatric, Implant and BAHA® Audiology Specialist

Rachel McNeal, AuD
Pediatric, Implant and BAHA® Audiology Specialist

Shawna Pearce, MA, CCC-SLP
Pediatric Speech Pathologist

Brenner's Pediatric Implant Audiologists are specially trained in implant technology as well as pediatric audiology. Our practitioners have access to tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem response testing and multiple formats for behavioral audiometry. Working in pairs, they are optimally capable of testing children to determine precise hearing thresholds.

Their realm of expertise includes special training in pediatric hearing aid management, therefore team members are prepared to discuss the expectations and limitations of each device prior to and upon reaching the important decision point for implantation.

Following implantation, a patient sees his or her implant audiologist frequently for programming of the device. Team members take pride in having flexible schedules with the ability to find last-minute appointments when the need is urgent. Because a special bond develops between the family of an implanted child and the audiology team members, each Audiologist finds that these lasting relationships have resulted in improved family satisfaction at follow-up visits through the process of evaluation, implantation, and rehabilitation.

Speech Pathology

Shawna Pearce, MA, CCC-SLP
Clinical Manager, Pediatric Speech Program
Implant Speech Pathologist

Shawna has been working with children for 12 years in a variety of settings, including the preschool program of Randolph County Schools, Cheshire Center for home health services, and The Special Children's School (a developmental day program).

In her role with the Pediatric Cochlear Implant Team, Shawna provides the speech and language component of the candidacy evaluations for children being considered for implantation. She collects comprehensive information regarding existing speech and language ability and contributes a forecasted prognosis for continued language and communication skill development.