Medical Specialties Commons^™

Pediatric Ingestion Of Multiple Button Batteries, Johnny Fong Md, Tony Zitek

School of Medicine Faculty Research

A two-year-old male presented to the pediatric emergency department for possible foreign body ingestion. Two hours prior to arrival, the child was found with the packaging for 10 button batteries, but his mother was only able to find one battery. The patient had no symptoms. Physical exam was within normal limits. Radiographs (Image 1) showed six foreign bodies within the stomach and one distally

A Closer Look At Arsa Activity In A Patient With Metachromatic Leukodystrophy., Kathleen Doherty, S. Barron Frazier, Matthew Clark, Anna Childers, Sumit Pruthi, David A. Wenger, Jessica Duis

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease mainly caused by a deficiency of arylsulfatase A activity. The typical clinical course of patients with the late infantile form includes a regression in motor skills with progression to dysphagia, seizures, hypotonia and death. We present a case of a 4-year-old female with rapidly progressive developmental regression with loss of motor milestones, spasticity and dysphagia. MRI showed volume loss and markedly abnormal deep white matter. Enzymatic testing in one laboratory showed arylsulfatase A activity in their normal range. However, extraction of urine showed a large increase in sulfatide excretion in …

Health Care Seeking For Maternal And Newborn Illnesses In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review Of Observational And Qualitative Studies, Zohra S. Lassi, Philippa Middleton, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Caroline Crowther

Woman and Child Health

Background: In low- and middle-income countries, a large number of maternal and newborn deaths occur due to delays in health care seeking. These delays occur at three levels i.e. delay in making decision to seek care, delay in access to care, and delay in receiving care. Factors that cause delays are therefore need to be understand to prevent and avoid these delays to improve health and survival of mothers and babies.
Methods: A systematic review of observational and qualitative studies to identify factors and barriers associated with delays in health care seeking.
Results: A total of 159 observational and qualitative …

A Parent-Led Intervention To Promote Recovery Following Pediatric Injury: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Meghan L. Marsac, Ginny Sprang, Leila Guller, Kristen L. Kohser, John M. Draus Jr., Nancy Kassam-Adams

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Background: Injury is one of the most prevalent potentially emotionally traumatic events that children experience and can lead to persistent impaired physical and emotional health. There is a need for interventions that promote full physical and emotional recovery and that can be easily accessed by all injured children. Based on research evidence regarding post-injury recovery, we created the Cellie Coping Kit for Children with Injury intervention to target key mechanisms of action and refined the intervention based on feedback from children, families, and experts in the field. The Cellie Coping Kit intervention is parent-guided and includes a toy (for engagement), …

Early Progression Of Krabbe Disease In Patients With Symptom Onset Between 0 And 5 Months., Maria L. Beltran-Quintero, Nicholas A. Bascou, Michele D. Poe, David A. Wenger, Carlos A. Saavedra-Matiz, Matthew J. Nichols, Maria L. Escolar

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Krabbe disease is a rare neurological disorder caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme, β-galactocerebrosidase, resulting in demyelination of the central and peripheral nervous systems. If left without treatment, Krabbe disease results in progressive neurodegeneration with reduced quality of life and early death. The purpose of this prospective study was to describe the natural progression of early onset Krabbe disease in a large cohort of patients.

METHODS: Patients with early onset Krabbe disease were prospectively evaluated between 1999 and 2018. Data sources included diagnostic testing, parent questionnaires, standardized multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental assessments, and neuroradiological and neurophysiological tests.

RESULTS: We …

A Comparison Of The Diagnosis Of Gastroparesis In 4 H Pediatric Gastric Emptying Studies Versus 2 H Studies., Sarah T. Edwards, Jose Cocjin, Stephanie B. Theut, Douglas C. Rivard, Ashley K. Sherman, Craig A. Friesen

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: In adults, there is a consensus for standards to diagnose gastroparesis utilizing a gastric emptying study as the key diagnostic modality but there is no consensus for a standard in pediatrics. Additionally, some cost savings might be achieved if symptoms could be utilized to predict patients with gastroparesis. The aims of the current study were to confirm the sensitivity of a 4 h study in the pediatric population and to assess whether the severity of symptoms were predictive of delayed gastric emptying.

STUDY: This was a single site, two part study. In the first part, results were reviewed for …

Numb Regulates The Endocytosis And Activity Of The Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase In An Isoform-Specific Manner, Ran Wei, Xuguang Liu, Courtney Voss, Wentao Qin, Lina Dagnino, Lei Li, Marc Vigny, Shawn Shun Cheng Li

Paediatrics Publications

NUMB is an evolutionarily conserved protein that plays an important role in cell adhesion, migration, polarity, and cell fate determination. It has also been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of certain cancers, although it remains controversial whether NUMB functions as an oncoprotein or tumor suppressor. Here, we show that NUMB binds to anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), a receptor tyrosine kinase aberrantly activated in several forms of cancer, and this interaction regulates the endocytosis and activity of ALK. Intriguingly, the function of the NUMB-ALK interaction is isoform-dependent. While both p66-NUMB and p72-NUMB isoforms are capable of mediating the …

Screening Pediatric Patients For Readmission Risk, Sarah Bradshaw, Blair Buenning, Anita Powell

Presentations

Presentation of Quality Improvement & Research Project of HARRPS Tool at the Children's Mercy Hospital Patient Care Services Research Ground Rounds

Pharmacological And Non-Pharmacological Treatments For The Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (Nas)., A. K. Mangat, G. M. Schmölzer, W. K. Kraft

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Neonatal abstinence syndrome is defined by signs and symptoms of withdrawal that infants develop after intrauterine maternal drug exposure. All infants with documented in utero opioid exposure, or a high pre-test probability of exposure should have monitoring with a standard assessment instrument such as a Finnegan Score. A Finnegan score of >8 is suggestive of opioid exposure, even in the absence of declared use during pregnancy. At least half of infants in most locales can be treated without the use of pharmacologic means. For this reason, symptom scores will drive the decision for pharmacologic therapy. Nevertheless, all infants, regardless of …

Correction To: Nasopharyngeal Carriage Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae In Children Under 5 Years Of Age Before Introduction Of Pneumococcal Vaccine (Pcv10) In Urban And Rural Districts In Pakistan, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Kanwal Nayani, Tauseef Akhund, Atif Riaz, Omar Irfan, Sadia Shakoor, Sehrish Muneer, Sana Muslim, Aneeta Hotwani, Furqan Kabir, Cynthia Whitney, Lindsay Kim, Velusamy Srinivasan, Syed Asad Ali, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Fyezah Jehan

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

No abstract provided.

Multicentre, Randomised Clinical Trial Of Paediatric Concussion Assessment Of Rest And Exertion (Pedcare): A Study To Determine When To Resume Physical Activities Following Concussion In Children., Andrée-Anne Ledoux, Nicholas J Barrowman, Kathy Boutis, Adrienne Davis, Sarah Reid, Gurinder Sangha, Ken J Farion, Kevin Belanger, Mark S Tremblay, Keith Owen Yeates, Carol Dematteo, Nick Reed, Roger Zemek

Paediatrics Publications

INTRODUCTION:
Rest until symptom-free, followed by a progressive stepwise return to activities, is often prescribed in the management of paediatric concussions. Recent evidence suggests prolonged rest may hinder recovery, and early resumption of physical activity may be associated with more rapid recovery postconcussion. The primary objective is to determine whether the early reintroduction of non-contact physical activity beginning 72 hours postinjury reduces postconcussive symptoms at 2 weeks in children following an acute concussion as compared with a rest until asymptomatic protocol.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS:
This study is a randomised clinical trial across three Canadian academic paediatric emergency departments. A total …

Amoebic Liver Abscess: Outcomes Of Percutaneous Needle Aspiration Vs Drain Placement In Paediatric Population, Areej Saleem, Saqib Hamid Qazi, Waseem Mirza, Sarah Masroor Jeelani

Section of Paediatric Surgery

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of percutaneous catheter drain placement with percutaneous needle aspiration in terms of hospital stay, time to resolution of symptoms and cost of intervention performed.
Methods: The retrospective cohort study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data of patients with amoebic liver abscess from, January 2006 to December 2016 which was collected using non-probability purposeful sampling. Primary outcome included length of hospital stay, time to resolution of symptoms and cost of intervention. Secondary outcomes included development of complications, need for re-intervention and abscess resolution. SPSS 22 was used for data analysis. . …

Minimally Invasive Surgery In Neonates With Congenital Anomalies: Experience From The Nsqip-P, Emily Sagalow, Katerina Dukleska, Md, Courtney Devin, Md, Erin Teeple, Md, Scott W. Cowan, Md, Charles D. Vincour, Md, Loren Berman, Md

Phase 1

Background: Congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDH) and tracheoesophageal fistulas (TEF) are managed with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) or open surgery. Little is known about the patient populations and outcomes for those treated by each approach. Hypothesis/Specific Aims: We expect that there will be fewer complications, better outcomes, and longer operative times for the MIS group versus the open group.

Methods: National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric Participant Use Files (NSQIP-P PUFs) from 2012-2015 were used to identify neonates (up to 30 days old) who underwent CDH and TEF repair. The patient characteristics, post-operative complications, and 30-day mortality were analyzed using multivariable logistic …

Age Appropriate Assisted Airway Clearance Techniques For Children, Christopher M. Oermann

Presentations

Describe normal airway clearance and the disease processes for which assisted airway clearance therapy is indicated. Explain the physiologic rational for and data supporting use of various assisted airway clearance techniques used among children. Develop an age and diagnosis appropriate airway clearance plan for a child with impaired airway clearance.

Decreasing Door-To-Door Times For Infliximab Infusions In A Children's Hospital Observation Unit, Kelly C. Sandberg, Janet N. Lucien, Denise Stoll, Erica Yanney, Adam Mezoff

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Introduction:

Children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often require infliximab infusions to manage their disease. Infusions administered in the hospital setting require the patient and their families to devote many hours away from home. Changing to a rapid infusion protocol has been shown in the literature to be safe and has the potential to decrease time spent in the hospital receiving infusions.

Methods:

We describe stepwise changes made over a 4-month period to improve infliximab infusion efficiency and lessen the time spent in the hospital by IBD patients and their families. These changes included the implementation of a standardized order …

Management Of Retinoblastoma In Older Children (>5 Years) Using Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy: Comparison Of Outcomes To Pre-Chemotherapy And Intravenous Chemotherapy Eras, Evan Selzer, Ms, R. Joel Welch, Md, Pascal Jabbour, Md, Ann Leahey, Md, Carol L. Shields, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) has emerged as an effective treatment for retinoblastoma (RB), but little information exists regarding its use in older patients (>5 years). We evaluate the use of IAC (2008-2018) for RB in older patients and compare outcomes to those in the pre-chemotherapy (<1994) and intravenous chemotherapy (IVC) (1994-2007) eras.

Objective: To evaluate the hypothesis that IAC is effective in managing RB in older patients.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients older than 5 years who were treated with IAC for RB from 2008-2018 on the Ocular Oncology Service at the Wills Eye Hospital. Comparisons were made to historic, …

Clinical Genome Sequencing In An Unbiased Pediatric Cohort., Isabelle Thiffault, Emily G. Farrow, Lee Zellmer, Courtney D. Berrios, Neil Miller, Margaret Gibson, Raymond Caylor, Janda L. Jenkins, Deb Faller, Sarah E. Soden, Carol J. Saunders

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: We report for the first time, the use of clinical genome sequencing (GS) in an unbiased pediatric cohort. We describe the clinical validation, patient metrics, ordering patterns, results, reimbursement, and physician retrieval of results for the first consecutive 80 cases.

METHODS: Clinical GS was performed for both inpatients and outpatients undergoing etiologic evaluations. Results were reported in the electronic medical record. Evidence of report retrieval by clinicians and whether interpretation was concordant with laboratory report was obtained through retrospective chart review.

RESULTS: Twenty definitive diagnoses were made in 19 patients (24%; n = 80). Except for two partial gene …

Neurodevelopmental Milestones And Associated Behaviours Are Similar Among Healthy Children Across Diverse Geographical Locations, José Villar, Michelle Fernandes, Manorama Purwar, Eleonora Staines-Urias, Paola Di Nicola, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Roseline Ochieng, Fernando Barros, Maria Carvalho, Elaine Albernaz

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

It is unclear whether early child development is, like skeletal growth, similar across diverse regions with adequate health and nutrition. We prospectively assessed 1307 healthy, well-nourished 2-year-old children of educated mothers, enrolled in early pregnancy from urban areas without major socioeconomic or environmental constraints, in Brazil, India, Italy, Kenya and UK. We used a specially developed psychometric tool, WHO motor milestones and visual tests. Similarities across sites were measured using variance components analysis and standardised site differences (SSD). In 14 of the 16 domains, the percentage of total variance explained by between-site differences ranged from 1.3% (cognitive score) to 9.2% …

Health Systems Changes After Decentralisation: Progress, Challenges And Dynamics In Pakistan, Shehla Zaidi, Maryam Bigdeli, Etienne V. Langlois, Atif Riaz, David W. Orr, Nasir Idrees, Jesse B. Bump

Community Health Sciences

Decentralisation is widely practised but its scrutiny tends to focus on structural and authority changes or outcomes. Politics and process of devolution implementation needs to be better understood to evaluate how national governments use the enhanced decision space for bringing improvements in the health system and the underlying challenges faced. We use the example of Pakistan's radical, politically driven provincial devolution to analyse how national structures use decentralisation opportunities for improved health planning, spending and carrying out transformations to the health system. Our narrative draws on secondary data sources from the PRIMASYS study, supplemented with policy roundtable notes from Pakistan. …

Confidential Care For Adolescents In The U.S. Health Care System, Priya R. Pathak, Adriana Chou

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

In providing care for adolescents, maintaining confidentiality should be considered a human right and an evidence-based component of quality care. Unfortunately, complexities in the U.S. legal and health care systems have created a setting in which confidential care is inaccessible to many adolescent patients. Federal laws provide a minimum standard for confidentiality protections, but variations in state legislation relating to minor consent, special health care services, and confidentiality exemptions create large variability in adolescent confidentiality rights across the country. In certain contexts, such as consensual sexual activity, legal provisions may not align with professional ethical standards in adolescent care. In …

Mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin Complex 1 Promotes The Expression Of Genes Encoding Electron Transport Chain Proteins And Stimulates Oxidative Phosphorylation In Primary Human Trophoblast Cells By Regulating Mitochondrial Biogenesis., Fredrick J Rosario, Madhulika B Gupta, Leslie Myatt, Theresa L Powell, Jeremy P Glenn, Laura Cox, Thomas Jansson

Paediatrics Publications

Trophoblast oxidative phosphorylation provides energy for active transport and protein synthesis, which are critical placental functions influencing fetal growth and long-term health. The molecular mechanisms regulating trophoblast mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation are largely unknown. We hypothesized that mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) is a positive regulator of key genes encoding Electron Transport Chain (ETC) proteins and stimulates oxidative phosphorylation in trophoblast and that ETC protein expression is down-regulated in placentas of infants with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). We silenced raptor (mTORC1 inhibition), rictor (mTORC2 inhibition) or DEPTOR (mTORC1/2 activation) in cultured term primary human trophoblast (PHT) cells. mTORC1 inhibition …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Seattle-Pap For The Respiratory Support Of Premature Neonates: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial., Carl H Backes, Jennifer L Notestine, Jane M Lamp, Jeanne C Balough, Allison M Notestine, Crystal M Alfred, Juli M Kern, Michael R Stenger, Brian K Rivera, Mohannad Moallem, Randy R Miller, Apurwa Naik, Jennifer N Cooper, Christopher R Howard, Stephen E Welty, Noah H Hillman, John A F Zupancic, Larissa I Stanberry, Thomas N Hansen, Charles V Smith

OhioHealth Research Institute Articles

BACKGROUND: At birth, the majority of neonates born at < 30 weeks of gestation require respiratory support to facilitate transition and ensure adequate gas exchange. Although the optimal approach to the initial respiratory management is uncertain, the American Academy of Pediatrics endorses noninvasive respiratory support with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) for premature neonates with respiratory insufficiency. Despite evidence for its use, nCPAP failure, requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation, is common. Recently, investigators have described a novel method to deliver bubble nCPAP, termed Seattle-PAP. While preclinical and pilot studies are encouraging regarding the potential value of Seattle-PAP, a large trial is needed to compare Seattle-PAP directly with the current standard of care for bubble nCPAP (Fisher & Paykel CPAP or FP-CPAP).

METHODS/DESIGN: We designed a multicenter, non-blinded, randomized controlled trial that will enroll 230 premature infants (22

DISCUSSION: This trial will assess whether Seattle-PAP is more efficacious and cost-effective than FP-CPAP in real-world practice among premature neonates.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03085329 . Registered on 21 March 2017.

Evaluation Of The Cost-Effectiveness Of The Treatment Of Uncomplicated Severe Acute Malnutrition By Lady Health Workers As Compared To An Outpatient Therapeutic Feeding Programme In Sindh Province, Pakistan, Eleanor Rogers, Saul Guerrero, Deepak Kumar, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Shahid Fazal, Karen Martínez, Jose Luis Alvarez Morán, Chloe Puett

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Due to the limited evidence of the cost-effectiveness of Community Health Workers (CHW) delivering treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM), there is a need to better understand the costs incurred by both implementing institutions and beneficiary households. This study assessed the costs and cost-effectiveness of treatment for cases of SAM without complications delivered by government-employed Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and complemented with non-governmental organisation (NGO) delivered outpatient facility-based care compared with NGO delivered outpatient facility-based care only alongside a two-arm randomised controlled trial conducted in Sindh Province, Pakistan.
Methods: An activity-based cost model was used, employing a societal perspective …

The Use Of Dietary Interventions In Pediatric Patients, Shirin Madzhidova, Lusine Sedrakyan

PCOM Scholarly Works

Complementary and alternative treatment approaches are becoming more common among children with chronic conditions. The prevalence of CAM use among US adults was estimated to be around 42% in 2015 and around 44% to 50% among adults with neurologic disorders. Studies demonstrate that children with certain chronic illnesses such as asthma, cancer, genetic disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other neurodevelopmental disorders are treated with complementary and alternative treatments at higher rates. Dietary therapies are gaining increasing popularity in the mainstream population. Although the majority of "fad" diets do not have enough supporting evidence, some dietary therapies have been utilized for …

Who Speaks For Me?: Addressing Variability In Informed Consent Practices For Minimal Risk Research Involving Foster Youth, Mary V. Greiner, Sarah J. Beal, Antonio Allen, Vikash Patel, Jareen Meinzen-Derr, Armand Antommaria

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Youth in protective custody (i.e., foster care) are at higher risk for poorer physical and mental health outcomes compared with those who are not. These differences may be due in part to the lack of research on the population to create evidence-based recommendations for health care delivery. A potential contributor to this lack of research is difficulties in obtaining informed consent for empirical studies in this population. The objective of this study was to describe the approaches to obtaining informed consent in minimal risk studies of foster youth and provide recommendations for future requirements.

Methods: We conducted a …

Integrating Nutrition Into Health Systems: What The Evidence Advocates, Rehana Salam, Jai K. Das, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

There is considerable evidence of positive health and nutrition outcomes resulting from integrating nutrition-specific interventions into health systems; however, current knowledge on establishing and sustaining effective integration of nutrition into health systems is limited. The objective of this review is to map the existing types of integration platforms and review the evidence on integrated health and nutrition programmes' impacts on specific nutrition outcomes. A literature search was conducted, and integrated nutrition programmes were examined through the lens of the six World Health Organization (WHO) building blocks, including the demand side. Forty-five studies were included in this review, outlining the integration …

Mutational Analysis Of Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Stratified By Smoking Status., Farhad Ghasemi, Stephenie D Prokopec, Danielle Macneil, Neil Mundi, Steven F Gameiro, Christopher Howlett, William Stecho, Paul Plantinga, Nicole Pinto, Kara M Ruicci, Mohammed Imran Khan, John Yoo, Kevin Fung, Axel Sahovaler, David A Palma, Eric Winquist, Joe S Mymryk, John W Barrett, Paul C Boutros, Anthony C Nichols

Paediatrics Publications

Smoking has historically been recognized as a negative prognostic factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This study aimed to assess the mutational differences between heavy smokers (>20 pack years) and never smokers among the HNSCC patients within The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Single nucleotide variation and copy number aberration differences between heavy smokers and never smokers were compared within human papillomavirus-positive (HPV-positive) (n = 67) and HPV-negative (n = 431) TCGA cohorts with HNSCC, and the impact of these mutations on survival were assessed. No genes were differentially mutated between smoking and never-smoking patients with HPV-positive …

Csf Inflammatory Markers Differ In Gram-Positive Versus Gram-Negative Shunt Infections., Gwenn L. Skar, David C. Synhorst, Matthew Beaver, Jessica N. Snowden

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt placement is frequently complicated by bacterial infection. Shunt infection diagnosis relies on bacterial culture of CSF which can often produce false-negative results. Negative cultures present a conundrum for physicians as they are left to rely on other CSF indices, which can be unremarkable. New methods are needed to swiftly and accurately diagnose shunt infections. CSF chemokines and cytokines may prove useful as diagnostic biomarkers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of systemic and CSF biomarkers for identification of CSF shunt infection.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of children with …

Oral Polio Vaccine Response In The Mal-Ed Birth Cohort Study: Considerations For Polio Eradication Strategies, William K. Pan, Jessica C. Seidman, Syed Asad Ali, Christel Hoest, Carl Mason, Dinesh Mondal, Stacey L. Knobler, Pascal Bessong, Mal-Ed Network Investigators

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Immunization programs have leveraged decades of research to maximize oral polio vaccine (OPV) response. Moving toward global poliovirus eradication, the WHO recommended phased OPV-to-IPV replacement on schedules in 2012. Using the MAL-ED prospective birth cohort data, we evaluated the influence of early life exposures impacting OPV immunization by measuring OPV response for serotypes 1 and 3.
Methods: Polio neutralizing antibody assays were conducted at 7 and 15 months of age for serotypes 1 and 3. Analyses were conducted on children receiving ≥3 OPV doses (n = 1449). History of vaccination, feeding patterns, physical growth, home environment, diarrhea, enteropathogen detection, …

Exploring In Silence: Hearing And Deaf Infants Explore Objects Differently Before Cochlear Implantation, Mary K. Fagan

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Infant development has rarely been informed by the behavior of infants with sensory differences despite increasing recognition that infant behavior itself creates sensory learning opportunities. The purpose of this study of object exploration was to compare the behavior of hearing and deaf infants, with and without cochlear implants, in order to identify the effects of profound sensorineural hearing loss on infant exploration before cochlear implantation, the behavioral effects of access to auditory feedback after cochlear implantation, and the sensory motivation for exploration behaviors performed by hearing infants as well. The results showed that 9-month-old deaf infants explored objects as often …