Tag Archives: Teens

Busting the Myth of “Cochlear Implants Don’t Work”

Opponents of cochlear implants, or CI skeptics, or even those who are neutral but uninformed often parrot the lines that “Some people just don’t do well with cochlear implants.”  They say, “Not everyone gets the same results.”  I’ll agree with them on those statements — they’re right.  Unfortunately, we do still see large variability in theContinue reading “Busting the Myth of “Cochlear Implants Don’t Work””

Is This a “Hearing Loss Thing” or a “Kid Thing”?

One of the most common questions I hear from parents is, “My child does XYZ.  Is this due to the hearing loss?”  I’ve heard all kinds of things — from the obvious (having difficulty hearing in noise) to the off-the-wall (preferring a certain food) — attributed to the child’s hearing loss.  What drives this, andContinue reading “Is This a “Hearing Loss Thing” or a “Kid Thing”?”

A “Why Not?” Attitude Toward Hearing Loss

Learning that your child has hearing loss can be a world-shaking event for parents.  The truth is, though millions of people around the world have hearing loss, most parents have little prior experience with people who are deaf or hard of hearing before discovering that their child is suddenly a member of this group.  ManyContinue reading “A “Why Not?” Attitude Toward Hearing Loss”

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?”

Just One Hurdle: A Strategy for Teaching New Skills

On your mark… get set… go! In a track and field competition, runners race around the track, jumping hurdle after hurdle in an attempt to be the first to the finish line.  It’s an incredible sight.  When we’re teaching children with hearing loss a new listening, speech, or language skill, however, we’re running a differentContinue reading “Just One Hurdle: A Strategy for Teaching New Skills”

What Are the Advantages of Teletherapy?

When I began to offer teletherapy services, I wanted to make sure that my clients would be receiving treatment that was as good as in-person therapy.  What I didn’t realize was that, in many cases, teletherapy could be even better than treatment in a brick-and-mortar location!

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  

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.

Genetic Testing for Hearing Loss

When parents find out that their child has hearing loss, one of the first questions they ask is often, “Why?” Some causes of hearing loss are easy to determine:  the child has outer or middle ear malformations that are apparent in a visual examination, the mother had an illness known to cause hearing loss during pregnancy,Continue reading “Genetic Testing for Hearing Loss”