Tag Archives: Toddlers

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!

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…

1 + 1 = 3

I often hear from frustrated parents, “My child knows A, my child knows B, so why on earth can’t she make a sentence with A and B together?  I’m pulling my hair out!”  Moving from single words to phrases of two words or more is a significant milestone in language development.  How do we helpContinue reading “1 + 1 = 3”

Safety for People with Hearing Loss

Hearing technology can provide incredible access to sound for speech, language, cognitive, and social development.  However, one of the most basic reasons people choose hearing aids, cochlear implants, or Baha devices for themselves or for their children is more essential: SAFETY.  Awareness of environmental sounds for alerting and personal protection is one of the greatestContinue reading “Safety for People with Hearing Loss”

Repetition Without Boredom

We know that you need thousands of hours of practice to become an expert at any skill, and many, many repetitions for something to stick. The same is true for children learning new speech, language, or listening skills. But how can we get in the practice they need without boring them (and ourselves!) to tears?

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?”

Just Right Challenge

Psychologist Lev Vygotsky is credited with identifying the concept of the “Zone of Proximal Development.”  This “ZPD” is the area between what a learner can do without help and what a learner can do with help — that is, it’s the zone where growth and learning really happen.  Zone of Proximal Development sounds impressive, but forContinue reading “Just Right Challenge”

Celebrating Hearing Birthdays

Hearing is an incredible gift, and one that people with hearing loss and their families do not take for granted.  Here are some ideas for how to make your “Hearing Birthday” (the anniversary of your/your child’s CI activation or the day you/your child received HAs or Baha) special.

Frequently Asked Questions About Speech and Articulation

Here are some of the most common questions I hear about speech, articulation, and people with hearing loss.