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St. Luke's Children's Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat)

Our team cares for children with conditions such as airway disorders, recurrent ear infections, obstructive sleep apnea, sinus disease, tonsillitis, enlarged adenoids, and microtia. We also specialize in hearing loss, cochlear implants, childhood communication disorders, neck masses, and velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) and offer ear splinting, ear molding, and otoplasty. 

We also partner with pediatric audiologists at Idaho Elks Hearing and Balance to provide personalized hearing aids.

Providers

  • Pediatric Otolaryngology

    Biography

    Jaeger Ashton, MS, CPNP specializes in recurrent ear infections, hearing loss, cochlear implants, speech/language disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, sinus disease, nasal septal deviations, tonsillitis, enlarged adenoids, and tongue and lip tie.

    Jaeger is certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. She earned her bachelor's degree in business at Bucknell University and her master's degree in nursing, nurse practitioner, at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Health Professions. She worked in primary care prior to joining St. Luke's.

    In her free time, Jaeger enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, kids, and dog.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Audiology

    Biography

    Debbie Baerlocher, AuD, CCC-A, F-AAA is our clinic lead in pediatrics, focusing on evoked potentials, diagnostics, and amplification. She is coordinator of the newborn hearing screening program at St. Luke’s Meridian and serves on the team of consulting audiologists for the state Early Hearing and Detection program—Idaho Sound Beginnings—providing training to hospitals and physicians about newborn hearing screening and hearing loss. 

    Dr. Baerlocher earned her doctorate degree in audiology from Central Michigan University; her doctoral research project was published in the Journal of Educational Audiology.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Audiology

    Biography

    Hillary Carlson, AuD, CCC-A, F-AAA specializes in pediatric diagnostics, auditory evoked potentials, and amplification. She is also an audiology consultant for the Idaho Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program, where she assists and provides training to hospitals and physicians with their newborn hearing screening programs and about hearing loss.

    Dr. Carlson earned her bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders with a minor in biology from The Ohio State University and her doctorate degree in audiology from Idaho State University.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Pediatric Otolaryngology

    Biography

    Phillip Chaffin Jr., MD serves as the medical director of the Hearing Loss and Cochlear Implant Program at St. Luke’s. He has clinical interests in the management of hearing loss and the surgical treatment of cleft lip and palate.

    Dr. Chaffin is a diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology and a member of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance and American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. He frequently travels overseas on medical missions to treat children with cleft lip and palate.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Audiology

    Biography

    Jessica Clark, AuD specializes in pediatric diagnostics, auditory evoked potentials, and hearing aids as well as services for adults. She is also an audiology consultant for the Idaho Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program, where she assists and provides training to hospitals and physicians with their newborn hearing screening programs and about hearing loss.

    Dr. Clark earned her bachelor’s degree in communication disorders from Minot State University and her doctorate degree in audiology from Idaho State University.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Audiology

    Biography

    April Fagerson, AuD is the program manager for audiology at St. Luke's. In addition to her administrative work, she enjoys helping patients who have concerns with tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo, and poor balance.

    Dr. Fagerson earned her bachelor's degree in speech pathology and audiology from Washington State University, where she also earned her master's degree in audiology. She earned her doctorate degree in audiology from Salus University.

    In her free time, Dr. Fagerson loves to travel and spend time with her husband and two sons. 

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Pediatric Otolaryngology

    Biography

    Malia Frazier, NP specializes in ear, nose and throat related problems such as ear infections, hearing loss, temporal bone and cochlear implants, obstructive sleep apnea, sinus disease and allergies, as well as problems with tonsils and adenoids. She is passionate about the health and well-being of children and families in our community.

    Prior to joining the St. Luke's Children's Otolaryngology team, she worked in otolaryngology at Boston Medical Center and as a registered nurse at St. Luke's Children's Hospital. She earned her bachelor's degree in nursing at Oregon Health & Science University and her master’s degree in nursing at Idaho State University. 

    Malia grew up in the Pacific Northwest and loves spending time with her family, reading, making music, and staying active.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Audiology

    Biography

    Karrie Pargman, AuD, F-AAA has professional interest in cochlear implants, evoked potentials, assessment of hearing loss, and hearing aids for adults and children. She has research experience in speech-evoked auditory brainstem response testing for diagnosis of auditory processing disorders.

    Dr. Pargman earned her doctorate degree in audiology from the University of Utah and her bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Vermont.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Pediatric Otolaryngology

    Biography

    Jacob Robison, MD, PhD is a pediatric ear, nose and throat (otolaryngology) surgeon who performs a wide range of surgeries involving the airway, ears, sinuses, and neck. He has extensive experience with management of airway diseases, ear disease and hearing restoration surgeries, sinus disease and neck masses or infections. Dr. Robison has particular interest in obstructive sleep apnea in children, recurrent infections of the ears, sinuses and throat, and complex airway management including airway reconstruction and tracheostomy. He has a special passion for airway diseases in young children and infants, including laryngomalacia and obstructive sleep apnea.

    Dr. Robison currently serves as medical director for pediatric otolaryngology surgery at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, and the medical co-director for the Tracheostomy-Ventilatory Multidisciplinary clinic at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital specializing in treatment of patients with complex airway diseases. He is also an executive board member of the State of Idaho Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

    Dr. Robison completed his bachelor's degree in microbiology with a minor in chemistry at Brigham Young University, where he graduated magna cum laude. During this time he was involved in genetics research, and served on the executive board for the regional American Microbiology Association. He then attended the University of Cincinnati where he completed a PhD in molecular toxicology and medical school. While earning his PhD, he studied the molecular genetics of certain types of cancer, with extensive national and international presentations and publications of his research. During medical school he continued his molecular biology research, resulting in multiple additional publications and presentations. He also served on the executive board and admission board for the Physician Scientist Training Program at the University of Cincinnati.

    Dr. Robison then moved to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center where he completed his residency in otolaryngology, then remained an additional year to complete a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital. During this time, he was on the executive committee for the otolaryngology residency program, and was involved in clinical research regarding obstructive sleep apnea in pediatric patients and airway diseases in cleft palate patients. This led to multiple national and international publications and presentations.

    In his free time, Dr. Robison enjoys spending time with his wife and children, camping, and hiking.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Audiology

    Biography

    Kristie Smith, AuD has professional interests in adult and pediatric diagnostics, amplification, auditory evoked potentials, and vestibular diagnostic evaluations.

    Kristie earned her bachelor's degree in speech pathology and audiology from Idaho State University, and her doctorate in audiology from A.T. Still University.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     
  • Audiology

    Biography

    Jessica Stich-Hennen, AuD, PASC specializes in pediatric diagnostics and amplification, auditory osseointegrated implants (i.e. BAHA), Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) evaluations and Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) evaluations. Dr. Stich-Hennen works as the primary audiologist for the Idaho Cleft Palate and Craniofacial team. She serves on Idaho Hands & Voices (IDHV) Board, Idaho’s Early Hearing Detection Intervention (EHDI) Advisory Committee and several committees for Idaho Speech Hearing Association (ISHA). 

    Dr. Stich-Hennen has given numerous professional presentations on various topics in pediatric audiology and co-authored a chapter in the EHDI e-book titled “Risk Monitoring for Delayed-Onset Hearing Loss.”

    Dr. Stich-Hennen earned her doctorate in audiology from Idaho State University and her bachelor's degree in business administration from North Dakota State University.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
     

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