I Do Not Run a Pet Shop: Dogs, Parrots, and Auditory Verbal Therapy

Helping a child with hearing loss learn to listen and talk can be a lot of fun, but when the going gets tough, it’s easy to slip into patterns that we think are helping us but are really pushing us further from our goal.  Parents and professionals can be equally guilty of these bad habits.  WhatContinue reading “I Do Not Run a Pet Shop: Dogs, Parrots, and Auditory Verbal Therapy”

The Auditory Feedback Loop

What is the Auditory Feedback Loop?  Have you ever had a cold and had the experience of not being able to hear your own voice clearly, or been so stuffed up that you couldn’t say certain sounds (“my mom” becomes “by bob”)?  Have you ever caught yourself using a word you didn’t mean to inContinue reading “The Auditory Feedback Loop”

The Catch-Up Game: WEBINAR RECORDING

Enjoy this recording of my 3/25/2015 webinar for the Cochlear HOPE series, “The Catch-Up Game: Working with Children Who Receive Cochlear Implants Late.” Click CC in the lower right corner for captions. 

Playing Tricks in Therapy

Serious, boring therapy?  No thank you!  Practical jokes can be a lot of fun, but look beneath the surface and you’ll find a wealth of listening and language goals, too.  Let’s talk about sabotage, theory of mind, jokes, and helping children with hearing loss develop a sense of humor.

Ling Six Sound Check

If a hearing aid, cochlear implant, or Baha has good batteries, then it should be working, right?  Not so fast.  The Ling Six Sound Check is a simple tool we use to ensure that hearing devices are working and giving the listener access to the sounds of speech.  Six sounds, okay… what could be complicatedContinue reading “Ling Six Sound Check”

UPCOMING EVENTS: Free Webinars for Parents and Professionals

I am excited to be partnering with some great organizations this spring to give two FREE webinars for parents and professionals.  Both events also offer 1CE credit from the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language.  See below for more information and links to register for the courses.

Cooking Up Therapy

Cooking is a great thing to do in therapy for many reasons.  It’s a hands-on, multi-sensory experience that most children really enjoy.  Making food is part of any child’s everyday routine, it’s engaging, and you get to eat the fruits of your labor!    What’s not to like?  If you’re stuck in a therapy rut,Continue reading “Cooking Up Therapy”

Plateaus, Valleys, Plains and Mountains: Measuring Progress

We know that getting a cochlear implant is not an instant fix.  Speech, language, and listening skills do not magically appear after activation, and progress is on everyone’s minds.  How does progress happen?  How much is enough?  How fast?  What should we do if things aren’t working out as planned?  

Hearing with Two Ears: A Balancing Act

There are a lot of reasons, research, and rationale to support the need for bilateral amplification for people with hearing loss.  It’s pretty much a “given” at this point in our field, though, sadly, there are still some insurance companies and even hearing healthcare professionals who lag behind the curve.  What should you consider ifContinue reading “Hearing with Two Ears: A Balancing Act”

The Waiting Game

Many auditory verbal techniques are not rocket science.  They’re simple suggestions and tweaks to your everyday routines — little changes that can make a BIG difference in your child’s ability to listen and talk.  What’s one of the hardest of these little challenges?  Learning how (and when) to wait!