2016 AV Challenge: Nov-Dec

Join me for the 2016 AV Challenge!  Each week for the next four weeks, I’ll be posting a research-based tip that parents and caregivers can use to help their children with hearing loss develop listening and spoken language skills.

 
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Guide and Coach

An Auditory Verbal Therapist wears many hats:  insurance company negotiator, toy cleaner, language sample transcriber, amateur children’s literature critic… and sometimes an actual funny hat or two in a game of dress up.  And though I think I look spectacular in a princess tiara, my two favorite roles, the ones I’m most honored to have, are those of Guide and Coach to the families who honor me by allowing me to be a part of their child’s team. 

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If They Could, They Would

There are some families who are a joy to work with.  They show up on time, their children always have their hearing technology on and working, they read to their children, never miss an appointment, and bring you treats for the holidays.  There are others who make professionals want to pull their hair out.  Chronically late or absent, hearing aids always in disrepair, unmotivated, nonparticipatory, it seems as if these parents just don’t want their children to succeed.  Are these just “bad parents”?  Would their children be better off spending less time with their parents and more time with us, the professionals, who can help them learn to listen and talk? 

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“She’s Doing So Well, But…”

If a child with hearing loss is scoring at or above the level expected for her hearing peers, it’s time to celebrate (and graduate)!  But why does this seemingly joyful milestone cause so much anxiety for parents and professionals?  Why do children who are “doing well” still struggle sometimes, and what can be done about it?

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Music, Art, Theatre, and Dance Lessons for Children with Hearing Loss

There are many benefits of music, theater, art, and dance education for all.  Arts education is linked to improved focus and behavior, academic achievement, higher SAT scores, and a host of other benefits.  The positive cognitive, creative, physical, social effects are undeniable.  But what about arts education for children with hearing loss? 

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Co-Managing Behavior with Parents

Behavior is a tricky, touchy subject.  Every family parents differently and has different experiences, expectations, and emotions regarding how best to help children learn to behave within the norms of their family and culture.  Usually, parents are the primary disciplinarians, the ones setting the standards for their children and dealing with the tantrums, disagreements, and power struggles that are a normal part of growing up.  But when a child’s behavior needs spill over into a therapy session, how can professionals and parents partner for success?

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Choosing Teams

Do you remember choosing teams in middle school gym class or for games of pickup basketball on the playground?  With my short height, lack of coordination, and two left feet, I’ll admit, I was usually chosen last!  Fortunately, as an adult, I’ve had the privilege to be chosen for a very different kind of team: the team that parents and families choose to help them achieve their goals for their child who is deaf or hard of hearing.

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But What Will He Do When the Hearing Technology Is Off?

One common question I hear about children who are deaf but listen and speak with the help of hearing technology is, “But what will he do when the cochlear implant [or hearing aid, or Baha] is off?”  What about bath time, swimming time, night time?  What if a battery dies or equipment malfunctions?  Are those reasons enough to learn sign language?Continue reading “But What Will He Do When the Hearing Technology Is Off?”

LSLS Exam Study Session: 8/30/2016

Are you a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS) candidate planning to sit for the exam this summer (or just want to get a jump on your studying)?  Join a virtual study session to sharpen your skills and prepare for success!

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Stop Saving, Start Serving

I think that care and compassion motivate most people to enter helping fields like audiology, speech-language pathology, and deaf education.  We want to make a difference, and we are on a mission to save the world!  But is that always a good thing? Continue reading “Stop Saving, Start Serving”