I have had so many therapy sessions where parents begin the conversation by apologizing. “I’m so sorry, we just didn’t get a chance to practice this week.” “I feel awful, he’s not wearing his hearing aids as often as I know he should.” “I’m sorry, there just wasn’t a chance to read together last night.”Continue reading “A Cheerleader, Not a Taskmaster”
Tag Archives: Parents
A Swing and a Miss
When your child suddenly spouts out a new word, sound, or sentence type, it’s a cause for celebration! How exciting — they’ve learned something new! And then… it disappears. You try to tell your spouse or friend or therapist about this new accomplishment and get your child to show off their new skill and… nothing.Continue reading “A Swing and a Miss”
Auditory Expectation
What does it mean to have an auditory expectation for children with hearing loss in therapy and in life? First of all, it means that I, the adult, have done my part in giving you the tools (auditory access and a good listening environment) to be successful. Once that has been established, an auditory expectationContinue reading “Auditory Expectation”
It’s Not a Secret!
I had a horrible experience teaching my graduate-level aural rehabilitation class earlier this semester. One of my brilliant students, herself a young woman with hearing loss, came to me during office hours to discuss audiogram interpretation. We talked through the concepts, worked through an example together, and things clicked! Happy story, right? But then sheContinue reading “It’s Not a Secret!”
Just Floss One Tooth
Sometimes, tasks can be overwhelming and we let the perfect be the enemy of the good. I was having a conversation with a mentee the other day when she shared a wonderful insight with me: Just floss one tooth. We were talking about performing daily listening checks to ensure that hearing equipment is functioning well.Continue reading “Just Floss One Tooth”
Putting Out Fires (Or, “Why Some Families Don’t Seem to Care About Things that Professionals Think Are Important…”)
Sometimes I am working with a family, or speaking to a mentee who is working with a family, of a child who is exhibiting significant delays. Perhaps the child’s technology is poorly programmed, infrequently used, or both. Maybe the child’s educational and therapeutic situation leaves a lot to be desired. Whatever the cause(s), this childContinue reading “Putting Out Fires (Or, “Why Some Families Don’t Seem to Care About Things that Professionals Think Are Important…”)”
Give Me Five!
You may already know how I feel about flashcards (spoiler alert: I hate them), but there is something to be said for repeated practice as a way to cement new skills. So how do we help children with hearing loss improve their articulation in a way that allows them enough opportunities to practice without resortingContinue reading “Give Me Five!”
Fall 2020 Webinar Series
We may be socially distant, but we can still learn together. Join me for my Fall 2020 Webinar Series! 9/23/2020 8PM EST: Listen Up How can professionals help parents learn about their children’s hearing loss and the importance of all-waking-hours access to sound if listening and spoken language are the desired outcome? Learn how toContinue reading “Fall 2020 Webinar Series”
ToM Part 2: Best Books for Theory of Mind
In Part One of this series, I introduced the concept of Theory of Mind (ToM) and why children with hearing loss are at risk to struggle with this particular aspect of cognitive development. Now, let’s dive in to what we can do to help build ToM abilities in children who are deaf or hard ofContinue reading “ToM Part 2: Best Books for Theory of Mind”
ToM Part 1: Theory of Mind and Children with Hearing Loss
Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to understand that other people’s thoughts, desires, motivations, and preferences are not the same as our own. Babies begin life seeing everyone in the world as an extension of themselves (which makes sense, because for the past nine months, they basically were!). Toddlers might not realize that evenContinue reading “ToM Part 1: Theory of Mind and Children with Hearing Loss”