Testing, Testing…

Testing and evaluations bring up many emotions in parents and children alike.  Used well, a comprehensive evaluation provides a measure of the child’s progress and a road map for the way forward.  But how are you supposed to untangle the web of jargon and questions surrounding your child’s testing?  Let’s discuss…

Big Goals for Big Kids

A lot of attention in the AVT world is focused on infants and toddlers — detecting hearing loss at birth, fitting them hearing technology ASAP, and getting their families off to a running start with listening and spoken language early intervention.  When all goes well, many of these children can be fully mainstreamed from preschool andContinue reading “Big Goals for Big Kids”

Do You Know How to D-I-P?

When an infant or toddler first receives hearing technology, it’s an exciting day!  Shortly after, though, parents want to know, “When will he start to talk?”  Stop and listen for a minute.  Do you hear that baby babbling?  What if we could learn to listen and talk to new listeners in a way that wouldContinue reading “Do You Know How to D-I-P?”

Map Your Way to Better Speech

Common “knowledge” says that hearing happens with the ears and speech happens with the mouth, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.  In reality, the loop between our ears, brain, and mouth creates an integrated cycle.  We only speak as well as we hear, and we only hear as well as our brain processesContinue reading “Map Your Way to Better Speech”

Do You Teach Lipreading?

When I tell people that my job is teaching children with hearing loss to listen and talk without the use of sign language, it usually stops people in their tracks for a minute.  The first question I usually get is, “How?” which leads to a whole discussion about the auditory brain.  The second most frequentlyContinue reading “Do You Teach Lipreading?”

AG Bell 2014: Concurrent Sessions

In this recap: Complicated Cochlear Implant Cases and Evidence Based Data to Support Early Cochlear Implantation Complicated Cochlear Implant Cases Ted Meyer, M.D., Ph.D. Meredith Holcomb, Au.D., CCC-A  

A Five Step System to Build Question Answering Skills In Children with Hearing Loss

How many times have you been humming along in a conversation with a child when suddenly, a simple question stops him in his tracks?  Once you get beyond the rote answers to, “What’s your name?” and “How old are you?” many language learners are derailed by novel questions for which they are unprepared.  The problemContinue reading “A Five Step System to Build Question Answering Skills In Children with Hearing Loss”

Why Do Babies Need “Speech” Therapy? The Importance of Early Intervention

Even hearing babies don’t talk at this age.  Why does a child with hearing loss need “speech”?

Listening Environments: Greenhouse vs. Garden

Imagine a sapling in a tiny greenhouse. The greenhouse is a small, protective place for new plants.  The elements are controlled, the four walls all around block out the noise, and little plants are perfectly positioned to soak up all the benefits of this enriched environment.

Erber’s Hierarchy: The Listening Ladder

How do we take a new listener from hearing beeps at their cochlear implant activation to enjoying the whole wide world of sound? Well, if you remember how to eat an elephant, it’s not so hard at all! Erber’s Hierarcy, developed by speech scientist Dr. Norman Erber, breaks the listening task into four steps. By guidingContinue reading “Erber’s Hierarchy: The Listening Ladder”