↧
Hearing Aid Listening Check
↧
Types of Hearing Test
Behavioral Audiometry: to determine the softest sounds that a child can hear (thresholds). Sounds are presented via air conduction (soundfield, headphones or insert earphones) and bone conduction.
Behavioral Observation Audiometry (newborns and infants): involves watching behaviors such as sucking, eye widening and startles in response to sound.
Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (toddlers and difficult-to-test children): uses animated, brightly lit toys and videos as reinforcement for head turns in response to sound.
Play Audiometry (older children, 2 1/2 years and older): uses games (drop a block in a box, put a puzzle piece into a puzzle, etc) to teach a child to respond to sound.
Speech Audiometry: These tests use spoken words and sentences rather than pure tones, to assess sensitivity (threshold) or understanding (intelligibility/discrimination) of speech.
Immittance testing (Tympanometry and Acoustic Reflexes): to determine how the eardrum and middle ear structures are functioning. Tympanometry can assist in determining whether there is fluid behind the eardrum in the middle ear space, and whether the eardrum moves normally. Acoustic reflexes determine whether the middle ear muscles and acoustic pathway to the brain are working properly.
Otoacoustic Emissions testing (OAE): measures the function of structures in the inner ear. The OAE are sounds (“echoes”) that are produced by the inner ear in response to sound stimulation. If the OAE is normal then we assume that structures in the inner ear are functioning normally. The echo is found in most normal hearing individuals, so if echoes are present during OAE testing then the likelihood is that hearing is normal. If the echo is absent it could indicate that a hearing loss is present and referral for further testing such as Auditory Brainstem Response testing is made. OAE can be measured in newborn as well as older children. It is often used to get an estimate of inner ear function in children with developmental disabilities who cannot give behavioral responses.
Auditory Brainstem Response testing (ABR, BAER): ABR testing is a measurement of the response to sounds from the lowest part of the brain (the brainstem). This response measures degree of hearing as well as neurologic function. Small electrodes are placed behind the child’s ears and on top of the head. There is no discomfort at all, in fact, the child will sleep through the testing. Earplugs are placed in the ears and sounds are presented. The electrodes pick up the response from the brainstem and send it to a computer screen. A normal brain response consists of characteristic brainwaves, and the decibel level where these waves are able to be measured represents the hearing threshold. ABR is often used to get an estimate of hearing thresholds in children with developmental disabilities who cannot give behavioral responses. Sedation is sometimes required for children who cannot sleep for the several hours it takes to do the testing. In such cases, the family will be referred to a medical facility for sedation and testing.
↧
↧
OCTOBER: Listening and Spoken Language Calendar
Click HERE to download your own printable copy of the
Listening and Spoken Language Calendar for October.
↧
ASHA's Facts on Listening and Spoken Language and More!
Have you read this document published by ASHA on Facts About:
Hearing Loss in Children
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
Technologies
Listening and Spoken Language
Educational Environments
Types of Educational Placements
Personnel Preparation
http://www.asha.org/aud/Facts-about-Pediatric-Hearing-Loss/
The information was compiled by Tamala S. Bradham, PhD, Chair; Teresa Caraway, PhD; Jean Moog; K. Todd Houston, PhD; and Julie Rosenthal with the support of the OPTION Schools, Inc., .
"During the past 20 years there has been a revolution in how we identify and educate children with permanent hearing loss in the United States. Below is a list of facts about pediatric hearing loss that are often widely cited with their references.
Facts on Hearing Loss in Children
Approximately 3 in 1,000 babies are born with permanent hearing loss, making hearing loss one of the most common birth defects in America. (Ross et al., 2008)
Hearing loss affects 12,000 children born in the United States each year, making it the most common birth defect. (White, 1997)
Children with hearing loss who begin early intervention earlier have significantly better developmental outcomes than similar children who begin intervention later. (Holt & Svirsky, 2008; Moeller, 2000; Nicholas & Geers, 2006)
Most children with hearing loss who receive appropriate services from trained staff are able to progress at age-appropriate rates. (Geers et al., 2009)
92% of children with permanent hearing loss are born to two hearing parents. 96% of children with permanent hearing loss are born to one hearing parent and one parent with hearing loss.(Mitchell & Karchmer, 2004)
Parents usually suspect a hearing loss before the doctor does. (Harrison & Roush, 1996)
Facts on Early Hearing Detection and Intervention(including UNHS)
Of the 12,000 babies in the United States born annually with some form of hearing loss, only half exhibit a risk factor—meaning that if only high-risk infants are screened, half of the infants with some form of hearing loss will not be tested and identified. (Harrison & Roush, 1996)
Newborn hearing screening has become the standard of care in the United States. While 92% of all newborns are screened for hearing loss shortly after birth, only 54% of these babies actually receive the recommended hearing evaluation; the remaining 46% are "lost to the system".(Joint Committee on Infant Hearing, 2007)
CDC reports that only 61% of children identified with hearing loss begin ANY KIND of Part C early intervention services before 6 months of age. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006)
95% of newborns are screened for hearing loss. (White, 2003; Mitchell & Karchmer, 2004)
Despite extraordinary advances in early identification, early access to sound through technology and early intervention, there is widespread agreement among researchers, clinicians, program administrators and policy makers that many children ages 0–5 with permanent hearing loss are not receiving the benefits. (White, 2007; White, 2004)
Until the 1990s, children born with permanent hearing loss typically would not have been identified and diagnosed until 2 ½ to 3 years of age. Since the initiation of newborn hearing screening and EHDI programs, the average age of hearing loss identification has decreased to 2–3 months of age. (White, 2008; Hoffman & Beauchine, 2007; Harrison et al., 2003)
Left undetected, mild or unilateral hearing loss can result in delayed speech and language acquisition, social-emotional or behavioral problems, and lags in academic achievement.(Yoshinaga-Itano et al., 1998; Bess, 1985; Bess et al., 1988)
Nearly 40% of children identified with hearing loss and their families are not referred to the Part C early intervention system and may not be aware of the broad array of services and funding available to them. Part C is the primary source for families to link to other medical, audiologic and intervention services. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008)
When clear programmatic alternatives are available, the choices made by parents of children who are DHH have changed dramatically over time. (Brown, 2006)
In 1995: 40% chose spoken language options, compared to 60% who chose sign-language options
In 2005: 85% chose spoken language options, compared to 15% who chose sign-language options
With appropriate early intervention, children with hearing loss can be mainstreamed in regular elementary and secondary education classrooms. Recent research has concluded that children born with a hearing loss who are identified and given appropriate intervention before 6 months of age demonstrated significantly better speech and reading comprehension than children identified after 6 months of age. (Yoshinaga-Itano & Apuzzo, 1998; Yoshinaga-Itano et al., 1998)
Facts on Technologies
Using 2000 US Census data with a total population of slightly over 231 million, 15,219 children presented with severe to profound hearing loss. Taking into account some exclusions, 12,816 children would be considered cochlear implant candidates. Based on the number of children who were implanted in 2000, approximately 55% of the projected number of candidates received a cochlear implant. (Bradham & Jones, 2008)
A cochlear implant can make oral proficiency in more than one language possible for prelingually deaf children. (McConkey Robbinset al., 2004)
Children who receive cochlear implants in the second year of life attain better speech perception and language development outcomes than later implantation. Children implanted between 12-24 months show similar language skills as typical peers on some language measures administered at age six. (Svirsky et al., 2004)
A recent study on cochlear implants demonstrated that special education in elementary school is less necessary when children have had "greater than two years of implant experience" before starting school. These children are mainstreamed at twice the rate or more of age-matched children with profound hearing loss who do not have implants. (Francis et al., 1999)
The skills and knowledge that speech, language, and hearing professionals possess in the area of cochlear implant services will enhance a cochlear implant child's acquisition and use of auditory skills, which, in turn, will impact other aspects of the student's life. (Teagle & Moore, 2002)
Fitting of personal amplification in an infant or young child is an on-going process. Minimally, an audiologist should see the child every three months during the first two years of using amplification and every 4-6 months after that time. (The Pediatric Working Group, 1996)
Facts on Costs
When children are not identified and do not receive early intervention, special education for a child with hearing loss costs schools an additional $420,000, and has a lifetime cost of approximately $1 million per individual. (Johnson et al., 1993)
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that the lifetime economic cost to the public for a child with hearing loss is over $400,000, mostly for special education services.(Honeycutt et al., 2004; Mohr et al., 2000)
Most of the severe to profound hearing loss population are poorer than other Americans.(Blanchfield et al., 2001)
53% of family income made less than $25,000 compared to 35% of the general US population
Earnings are less (Mohr et al., 2000)
50–70% who have severe to profound hearing loss before retirement age are expected to earn only 50 to 70% of their non-hearing loss peers.
AND
Lose between $220,000 and $440,000 in earnings depending on when the hearing loss occurred.
Based on incidence data, it is estimated that there will be slightly over 15,000 new cases each year (Mohr et al., 2000)
Societal losses will amount to $4.6 billion over the lifetime
If early identification and intervention shifted 10% of the children into mainstreamed settings, the return on investments would be more than double!
Facts on Listening and Spoken Language
There is evidence that children prefer and encode auditory stimuli over visual stimuli. (Sloutsky & Napolitano, 2003)
There is substantial evidence that hearing is the most effective modality for the teaching of spoken language, reading, and cognitive skills. (Cole & Flexer, 2007)
Hearing is a first-order event for spoken language, reading, and learning. (Cole & Flexer, 2007)
Listening experience in infancy is critical for the development of both speech and language in young children and a strong spoken language base is essential for reading. (Cole & Flexer, 2007)
The critical language learning window is from birth to approximately 3 years of age when brain neuroplasticity is the greatest. (Sharma et al., 2002)
There is a critical window for auditory neural development. Studies in brain development show that sensory stimulation of the auditory centers of the brain is critically important, and indeed, influences the actual organization of auditory brain pathways. (Cole & Flexer, 2007)
Research suggests that children receiving implants earlier may benefit from the relatively greater plasticity of the auditory pathways than children implanted later within the developmentally sensitive period. (Manrique et al., 1999; Harrison et al., 2005; Sharma et al., 2002)
Data show that 90% of children born with a profound hearing loss who obtain a CI before they are 18 months old attain intelligible speech. If a cochlear implant is obtained between 2 and 4 years of age, about 80% of the children born with profound hearing loss will attain intelligible speech. In contrast, only about 20% of children born with a profound hearing loss who wear hearing aids and not a cochlear implant attain intelligible speech. (Cole & Flexer, 2007)
Neural imaging has shown that the same brain area—the primary and secondary auditory areas—are most active when a child listens and when a child reads. (Cole & Flexer, 2007)
Communication mode has been shown to have a highly statistically significant association with speech and language outcomes of children with cochlear implants. Children exposed to spoken language have a greater probability of scoring higher on speech and language assessments than children exposed to some degree of either sign support or sign language. (Percy-Smith et al., 2008)
Children receiving auditory-based intervention score the highest on speech production and speech recognition measures. These results improve as the emphasis on audition increases.(Wie et al., 2007)
Recent data indicates that introducing sign language prior to cochlear implantation does not enhance outcomes compared to emphasis on spoken language alone. (Nittrouer, 2008)
Recent data indicates that use of sign language was detrimental for the development of spoken langauge for children identified with hearing loss after their first birthday. (Nittrouer, 2008)
Listening and spoken language professionals encourage caregivers to interact with a child through spoken language and create a listening environment that helps a child to learn.(Estabrooks, 2006)
Better speech, spoken language and auditory outcomes are associated with greater emphasis on spoken language. Since 1992, over 90% of children with profound hearing loss developed intelligible spoken language. (Yoshinaga-Itano, 2008)
Speech production, speech recognitionn, expressive language, complexity of utterances and syntax and narrative ability are better for children using a listening and spoken language approach than children using total communicaiton. (Moog & Geers, 2003)
The literature in developmental psychology tells us that about 90% of what very young children know about the world is from incidental learning. (Moog & Geers, 2003)
a. The auditory-oral communication mode is important to the speech and language development of children after cochlear implantation.
b. The dominant educational factor associated with high performance levels was the extent to which a child's classroom communication mode emphasized speech and auditory skill development.
c. Parents and Professionals can help a child achieve maximum benefit from a cochlear implant by selecting an educational environment that provides a consistent emphasis on developing speech, auditory, and spoken language skills.
Children enrolled in a program focused on listening and spoken language showed an average of one year of language growth for each year in the program. At the end of a four-year period, the gap between chronological age and language age was nonexistent. (Rhoades & Chisolm, 2000)
Children who were deaf or hard of hearing and developed spoken language through listening developed reading ability comparable to their peers who hear normally. (Robertson & Flexer, 1993)
In the recent past, it has been reported that the vast majority of persons educated in deaf schools (95%) reach a reading age of only 9 years. (Traxler, 2000)
Studies examining the effects of cochlear implantation on reading indicate that the improved auditory skills may be associated with better reading outcomes...Above and beyond the positive effects of the cochlear implant, it is anticipated that auditory / speech training may increase the deaf child's access to phonological information and word comprehension. (Geers, 2003)
A study looking at outcomes as related to communication modes for children with hearing loss recommended that all educational programs incorporate a well-designed and implemented speech and language development and auditory training program. (Connor et al., 2000)
Constant use of auditory input to monitor speech production and to comprehend spoken language provides the concentrated practice needed for optimum benefit from a cochlear implant. (Geers & Brenner, 2003)
Listening and spoken language programs seek to improve speech perception, speech production, and spoken language skills by teaching a child to listen. Improved hearing sensitivity (as provided by a CI) does not, by itself, guarantee the ability to discriminate between sounds or to interpret speech for oral communication purposes. Children who receive CI continue to require intensive auditory, speech, and language training. (Wilkins & Ertmer, 2002)
Even mild hearing loss can significantly interfere with the reception of spoken language and education performance. Research indicates that children with unilateral hearing loss (in one ear) are ten times as likely to be held back at least one grade compared to children with normal hearing. (Cho Lieu, 2004; Bess, 1985; Oyler et al., 1988)
Facts on Educational Environments
Acoustic environments
All children need a quieter environment and a louder signal than adults to hear well enough to understand. Children with hearing loss need an even greater signal to noise ratio than children with typical hearing (Crandell et al., 2005)
ASHA standards require background noise levels not to exceed 30 dBA, reverberation times not to exceed 0.4 seconds or less, and an overall teacher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of + 15 dB. ANSI guidelines for schools call for background noise level to not exceed 35 dBA, reverberation time (RT) not to exceed 0.6–0.4 seconds, and a SNR of + 15 dB. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2005)
Listeners who are cochlear implant users need a minimum of + 10 SNR to function communicatively but require at least a + 15 SNR if they are to be expected to access verbal instruction, even in a classroom that meets ANSI standards. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2005)
FM units provide dramatic improvement in signal to noise ratio, especially in noisy mainstream classroom. In addition to helping achieve a +15 SNR in a classroom, it also addresses the degradation of speech across distance and interference of minimal or fluctuating noise for children with hearing loss. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2005)
Types of Educational Placement
Early intervention services for infants with confirmed hearing loss should be provided by professionals with expertise in hearing loss, including educators the deaf, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2007; Joint Committee on Infant Hearing, 2007)
Oral communication performance of children with cochlear implants is not only influenced by the mode of communication used educationally but also the educational setting. (Toby et al., 2003)
Children with cochlear implants who are in programs emphasizing listening and talking have higher speech production scores than children in programs that put less emphasis on these actions. (Toby et al., 2003)
Children with cochlear implants who are in mainstream classrooms where they must rely on listening and talking outperform children who are in special education classrooms where they may rely less on listening and talking. (Toby et al., 2003)
Data indicated that higher expectations are appropriate for children with cochlear implants than were previously realistic for profoundly deaf children who wore hearing aids. The data also indicate that parents and professionals can help a child achieve maximum benefit from a cochlear implant by:
1. Selecting an educational environment that provides a consistent emphasis on developing speech, auditory, and spoken language skills.
2. Making sure that the child receives audiological management that includes access to the most up-to-date speech processing strategies and careful monitoring of the implant to ensure a well-fitted Map.
In this study all performance outcome measures were significantly higher for cochlear implanted children in educational environments emphasizing listening and speaking...the current findings represent the most compelling support for an oral emphasis educational environment to be found in the pediatric cochlear implant literature. (Moog & Geers, 2003)
Cochlear implantation aided by aural habilitation a) enhances the growth in language skills that presumably underlies the increased rate of mainstream placement, b) equips most children with an increasing ability to participate in and benefit from the mainstream classroom. c) increases access to acoustic information of spoken language, leading to higher rates of mainstream placement in schools and lower dependence on special education support services. (Francis et al., 1999)
The Commission on Deaf Education states the IEP should also address the child's emotional and psycho-social needs. Deaf children are too often inappropriately placed in a classroom with a wide range of ages, or in cross-categorical groupings of children with different types of disabilities. (Joint Committee on Infant Hearing, 2007)
In response to a previous emphasis on natural environments, the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) recommends that both home-based and center-based intervention options should be offered. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2007; Joint Committee on Infant Hearing, 2007)
Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) with backgroud in articulation and language development may have the skills to work with a hearing impaired child in those areas (langauge and speech); however, frequently they have little training or experience in auditory learning strategies for children with hearing loss. The task of developing an auditory learning program for a child with a cochlear implant can be challenging. (Teagle & Moore, 2002)
Children with mild hearing loss miss 25–50% of speech in the classroom and may be inappropriately labeled as having a behavior problem or learning disability. Accommodations need to be made for these children. (Bess, 1985; Bess et al., 1998)
Literacy
Studies examining the effects of cochlear implantation on reading indicate that the improved auditory skills may be associated with better reading outcomes. Above and beyond the positive effects of the cochlear implant, it is anticipated that auditory/speech training may increase the deaf child's access to phonological information and word comprehension. (Geers, 2003)
Children who are deaf and hard of hearing are at risk for serious reading deficiencies. (Carney & Moeller, 1998)
Recent reports suggest a better long-term prognosis related to improved speech perception skills resulting from universal newborn screening and advances in technology, such as cochlear implants. (Spencer & Oleson, 2008)
For typical developing children, phonological awareness, alphabetic, and vocabulary form the foundation to read words and passages meaningfully. (Shanahan, 2006)
Vocabulary is another influential component in literacy development. In children with typical hearing higher-level vocabulary affects reading outcomes for struggling readers. (Bowyer-Crane et al., 2008)
Vocabulary plays an important role in reading for children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.(Geers & Moog, 1989; Paul, 1996)
Many children with hearing loss start preschool with significant gaps and fewer words in their lexicons when compared to children with typical hearing, which may be another cause of reading challenges. (Prezbindowski & Lederberg, 2003)
Results of study suggest that many of today's self-contained early childhood classes successfully help children who are DHH to develop auditory-based phonological and phonics skills. Scores on literacy tasks that involved recognition of letters, recognition of common written words suggested performance of children who are DHH was similar to that of children with typical hearing. (Easterbrooks et al., 2008)
First, similarities between children who are DHH suggest that research on effective reading instruction for children with typical hearing may form the basis for effective intervention for children who are DHH. Second, instructional strategies need to be adapted to meet the specific needs of children who are DHH, including instructional language that is more explicit, especially for rhyming and vocabulary. This instruction has to be individualized to the language and phonological sensitivity skills of children who are DHH. All of these can occur more easily in self-contained classes, such as those provided by Option schools. (Easterbrooks et al., 2008)
Personnel Preparation
Most existing personnel preparation programs (whether or not they are funded by OSERS) emphasize sign-language options even though most parents choose spoken language options when they are available.
Of all graduates from DHH Teacher Education programs in 2004
74% were from TC programs
18% were from Bi-Bi programs
8% were from A/O programs
Of the 19 OSERS-funded teacher preparation programs
10 are primarily TC emphasis
6 are primarily Bi-Bi emphasis
3 are primarily A/O emphasis"
↧
Fall Auditory Verbal Therapy Pinterest Board
Click HERE for ideas for listening and spoken language at home or in parent centered therapy.
↧
↧
Autumn Bucket List For Listening and Spoken Language
Plan ahead, be intentional, and create fall family traditions while focusing on, expanding and carrying over your child’s listening and spoken language therapy goals.
 |
| http://www.makelifelovely.com |
Click HERE for a free printable from http://www.makelifelovely.com to download with the usual autumn activates like making caramel apples, going to the pumpkin patch, roasting pumpkin seeds, etc.
Remember after your autumn adventure to enter the activity in your child’s Experience Book. Your child will have lots to share at the next Auditory Verbal therapy session.
 |
| Dave Sindrey, M.CI. Sc., LSLS, Cert. AVT |
What's An Experience Book?
Experience books are personalized stories that you make with your child as the main character and are a Auditory Verbal practice. Creating experience books is an interactive process between a child and a parent, grandparent or other adult which lays the foundation for natural development of listening, speech, language and literacy.
Check out these links for Experience Book Basics:
http://www.avcclisten.com/finding_the_value_of_experience_books.htm
http://www.experiencebooks.co.uk/index.html#.UnE9-xZuHHg
↧
"The Little Orange House" Listening and Following Directions
The story begins with a witch who is searching for a suitable home for the winter and a piece of orange paper lands at her feet. She decides to make it into her home, by cutting out a roof, windows and doors from the paper.
Read aloud the story (below) while your Little Listener folds and cuts a piece of orange construction paper according to the directions in the story. When they’ve completed the activity, they’ll open the paper and find a surprise!
![]()
![]()
![]()
Read aloud the story (below) while your Little Listener folds and cuts a piece of orange construction paper according to the directions in the story. When they’ve completed the activity, they’ll open the paper and find a surprise!
This story originally appeared in the 1982 issue of Highlights Magazine.
My Mom who taught elementary school shared it with me years ago
and I have used it each October in Auditory Verbal Therapy.
↧
NOVEMBER: Listening and Spoken Language Calendar
Click HERE to download your own printable copy of the Listening and Spoken Language Calendar for November.
↧
Effects of Hearing Loss on Development
Click HERE to read this important article published by the
and reprinted below:
"It is well recognized that hearing is critical to speech and language development, communication, and learning. Children with listening difficulties due to hearing loss or auditory processing problems continue to be an underidentified and underserved population.
The earlier hearing loss occurs in a child's life, the more serious the effects on the child's development. Similarly, the earlier the problem is identified and intervention begun, the less serious the ultimate impact.
There are four major ways in which hearing loss affects children--
- It causes delay in the development of receptive and expressive communication skills (speech and language).
- The language deficit causes learning problems that result in reduced academic achievement.
- Communication difficulties often lead to social isolation and poor self-concept.
- It may have an impact on vocational choices.
Specific Effects
Vocabulary
- Vocabulary develops more slowly in children who have hearing loss.
- Children with hearing loss learn concrete words like cat, jump, five, and red more easily than abstract words like before, after, equal to, and jealous. They also have difficulty with function words like the, an, are, and a.
- The gap between the vocabulary of children with normal hearing and those with hearing loss widens with age. Children with hearing loss do not catch up without intervention.
- Children with hearing loss have difficulty understanding words with multiple meanings. For example, the word bank can mean the edge of a stream or a place where we put money.
Sentence Structure
- Children with hearing loss comprehend and produce shorter and simpler sentences than children with normal hearing.
- Children with hearing loss often have difficulty understanding and writing complex sentences, such as those with relative clauses ("The teacher whom I have for math was sick today.") or passive voice ("The ball was thrown by Mary.")
- Children with hearing loss often cannot hear word endings such as -s or -ed. This leads to misunderstandings and misuse of verb tense, pluralization, nonagreement of subject and verb, and possessives.
Speaking
- Children with hearing loss often cannot hear quiet speech sounds such as "s,""sh,""f,""t," and "k" and therefore do not include them in their speech. Thus, speech may be difficult to understand.
- Children with hearing loss may not hear their own voices when they speak. They may speak too loudly or not loud enough. They may have a speaking pitch that is too high. They may sound like they are mumbling because of poor stress, poor inflection, or poor rate of speaking.
Academic Achievement
- Children with hearing loss have difficulty with all areas of academic achievement, especially reading and mathematical concepts.
- Children with mild to moderate hearing losses, on average, achieve one to four grade levels lower than their peers with normal hearing, unless appropriate management occurs.
- Children with severe to profound hearing loss usually achieve skills no higher than the third- or fourth-grade level, unless appropriate educational intervention occurs early.
- The gap in academic achievement between children with normal hearing and those with hearing loss usually widens as they progress through school.
- The level of achievement is related to parental involvement and the quantity, quality, and timing of the support services children receive.
Social Functioning
- Children with severe to profound hearing losses often report feeling isolated, without friends, and unhappy in school, particularly when their socialization with other children with hearing loss is limited.
- These social problems appear to be more frequent in children with a mild or moderate hearing losses than in those with a severe to profound loss.
What You Can Do
Recent research indicates that children identified with a hearing loss who begin services early may be able to develop language (spoken and/or signed) on a par with their hearing peers. If a hearing loss is detected in your child, early family-centered intervention is recommended to promote language (speech and/or signed depending on family choices) and cognitive development. An audiologist, as part of an interdisciplinary team of professionals, will evaluate your child and suggest the most appropriate audiologic intervention program.
To find an audiologist in your area, contact the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) by calling 800-638-8255 or use the Find a Professional service on ASHA's Web site (www.asha.org)."
↧
↧
H O L I D A Y S - Listening and Spoken Language Tips
H O L I D A Y S - Listening and Spoken Language Tips
for Families of Children That Are deaf/Hard of Hearing
![]()
for Families of Children That Are deaf/Hard of Hearing
Holidays are about listening to joyous music, lively conversations and spending time with family and friends. Encourage your child to be the Holiday Host and greet visitors and take their coats. This will boost your child’s confidence while giving him a chance to talk face to face in a quiet setting. Role-play upcoming holiday situations and practice good listening strategies. Create a secret a signal so your child can notify you when he is having a difficult time hearing. Keep the holiday music off or at a low volume, as your child is likely not the only one bothered by clatter and background music.
Organize an email and send it your family and friends before you gather for the holidays. Write a quick update about your child’s listening and spoken language progress and his hearing technology. Dealing with this before the holidays will allow you to spend time celebrating rather than answering questions of well meaning friends and family.
Large family dinners are noisy so plan accordingly. One suggestion is ensuring your child knows the topic of the conversation. Consider using “conversation starter cards” around the table which are always fun. Also, have someone special seated next to your child who can repeat a joke or summarize a story if your child mishears.
Include your child in the holiday preparations and focus on vocabulary that is often specific to the season. What is mistletoe? A menorah? The Nutcracker? A manger? Spend time reading holiday stories, cooking traditional foods and learning the words to holiday songs. You child can create decorations to hang around your home and tell guests about them when they visit.
Devices. Keep your child’s FM charged and ready to use. Role-play so your child is comfortable asking others to wear the FM and can explain how it helps him hear. At the dining table place the FM mic in the middle or concealed in the centerpiece. If you attend a holiday performance or a faith-based service,contact the venue to request extra amplification such as a microphone, a hearing loop and captions. Another important device is your camera. Take photos to include in your child’s Listening and Spoken Language Experience Book.
Arrange seating with your child’s hearing in mind. Encourage your child to choose a good seat for hearing at dinner and for the gift exchange. Is there a seat away from the bustling kitchen, or the room when the teenagers are playing video games? When opening gifts, suggest sitting in a circle so your child can both listen and watch.
Your traditions are an important way to expand your child’s listening and spoken language skills. If gift giving is your tradition, choose presents that will provide hours of creative play and stimulate conversation. Most of your child’s memories will be about people, not presents.
Simplify. Ask your child what traditions he feels are most important. You may be surprised by his reply. Consider skipping old traditions that have lost appeal or that your family has outgrown. Time spent together rather than on activities will be most remembered. Keep a Joy Journal to jot down moments of triumphs, laughter, inspiration and the “hearing” miracles you enjoy over the holidays.
Lynn's article was posted at: http://speechroomnews.blogspot.com/2013/11/holidays-listening-spoken-language-tips.html
↧
DECEMBER: Listening and Spoken Language Calendar
Does this December calendar spark some ideas for time at home with your child
or in Auditory Verbal therapy sessions?
Click HERE to download your own printable copy.
↧
AG Bell Adopts New Strategic Plan
Reprinted on December 2013. Source: http://www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org/document.aspx?id=2185
Advancing Listening and Spoken Language for Individuals Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Think about a world where …
- Infants and young children who are deaf and hard of hearing receive timely diagnosis, access to appropriate technology and qualified services.
- Families raising children who are deaf and hard of hearing receive all of the information, education and support needed to make confident, well-informed decisions throughout their child's educational and life transitions.
- Teens with hearing loss receive peer support and learn to be self-advocates as they transition to adulthood.
- Adults who are deaf and hard of hearing conduct professional and personal lives free of barriers and discrimination.
- The professionals supporting these adults and families are knowledgeable and effective and the Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS®) certification is the standard of care for all services provided.
- The public understands that people with hearing loss can listen and talk.
This describes AG Bell's envisioned future for the listening and spoken language community that AG Bell serves. In August 2013, the AG Bell board of directors took a bold step toward this envisioned future by adopting a strategic plan that refines the mission of the organization and establishes a set of core values and strategic objectives to guide the way the organization provides services to children and adults with hearing loss, their families and the professionals that support them.
AG Bell has redefined its core purpose and mission to "advance listening and spoken language for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing." This mission captures the fundamentally unique identity of the association within the marketplace as well as the unique identity of the children and adults it represents. This revised mission focuses attention on the increasing need to advocate for the needs and rights of families who have chosen a listening and spoken language outcome.
"Thanks to feedback and input from our members, AG Bell is embracing a meaningful change to our mission. We have moved beyond simply seeking independence for those who are deaf and hard of hearing. AG Bell now commits to advancing listening and spoken language for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. We are engaged in advocating for the needs and rights of families who have chosen this outcome."
-- Donald M. Goldberg, Ph.D., CCC-SLP/A, FAAA, LSLS Cert. AVT
President
President
Core Values
The Board of Directors also has identified a set of timeless guiding principles that characterize the association and form the foundation on which staff and members carry out their work. The following core values represent the AG Bell Association:Empowering and Respectful. Demonstrated by empowering families to make informed choices, respecting all choices, valuing the contributions of those who are deaf and hard of hearing and advancing leaders who are reflective of the communities we serve.
Forward-Thinking and Innovative. Demonstrated by appreciating AG Bell's heritage while actively anticipating and adapting to the changing environment, promoting access to technology and valuing visionary leadership.
Inclusive and Supportive. Demonstrated by members and supporters dedicated to listening and spoken language and devoted to promoting a supportive, inclusive environment for all who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Dependable and Knowledgeable. Demonstrated by an earned reputation for providing evidence-based, reliable, and accurate information about listening and spoken language.
Serving Our Community
To chart the course toward our envisioned future, the AG Bell board of directors has adopted the following key goals for serving members and the public and will undertake a number of major initiatives over the next several years to achieve these goals. The following are key audiences and priorities:Families and Children
Families will be provided with a wide array of resources that support them in raising independent and successful children. Children who are deaf and hard of hearing will have timely access to appropriate interventions to achieve their full potential.
Objectives for Families and Children
Increase:- Access to services through legislation and regulatory activities
- Access to timely, complete outreach to families with children who are deaf and hard of hearing
- Opportunities for socialization and peer support for youth as they transition to adulthood
- Adoption of the Listening and Spoken Language Specialist(LSLS®) credential and access to certified professionals
Adults Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Adults who are deaf and hard of hearing will connect and build a community enabling them to work together to advance equal access.
Objectives for Adults Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Increase:- Adults' participation in AG Bell supported vehicles for connection
- Recruitment and retention efforts for teens and adults
- Awareness of consumer technology that benefits individuals whoare deaf and hard of hearing
Professionals
Professionals will be provided with professional development,credentialing opportunities, awareness and support in the theory and application of listening and spoken language for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Objectives for Professionals
Increase:- Rate of growth of LSLS certified professionals
- Professional membership
- Awareness of LSLS certification
- Opportunities for professional development
The Public
The general public will know that people who are deaf and hard of hearing can listen and use spoken language.
Strategy as a Starting Point
"Strategy is not the consequence of planning, but the opposite: its starting point."
-- Henry Mintzberg, academic and author
on business and management
on business and management
Rather than the traditional approach of establishing a strategic plan that has a beginning and ending date, AG Bell is embracing a new approach for strategy. The association will have an ongoing process for planning strategically. Through this process, the association will increase its value to those it serves by continually reviewing the plan to provide a road map for strategic direction in navigating a changing environment.
Member-Centric Focus
The insight of AG Bell members is a valued part of the strategic planning process. Members provided input into the plan by describing the landscape in which the association exists and identifying key issues of concern. A strategic planning survey generated a strong response rate with more than 1,300 responses.Among all participants – parents, adults and professionals – the top issues of concern were: access to quality education and educational advocacy, the cost of hearing technology, and access to early intervention and qualified professionals. Participants also valued the connection to a community that AG Bell offers.The strategic plan will continue to evolve to reflect the priorities of the association over time. AG Bell member input is a valued part of this process and your comments and feedback are welcomed.
- See more at: http://www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org/document.aspx?id=2185#sthash.gapwYHu2.dpuf
↧
Pass-around Transmitter for Students with Hearing Loss.
As and AVT and an audiologist, I often recommend a Pass-around Transmitter for students with Hearing Loss.
For example, one system is the DynaMic Premium handheld pass around transmitter which can be used with the Phonak inspiro and in a MultiTalker Network
Here are the steps to initiate the process for your child with your school.
The DynaMic expands the functionality of a FM by allowing our child to hear and therefore understand any speaker that picks up the mic.
Step 2.Share a video clip of my friend Jane R. Madell, PhD CCC A/SLP, LSLS, Cert AVT and the Pediatric Audiology Project, entitled Hearing in the Classroom where she explains and demonstrates the importance of FM technology including the pass-around mic. HERE is the link as you may find it interesting.Step 3. Ask for approval for trial of a DynaMic in order provide the CHILD” auditory access to the other students during group instruction. As needed, share a recommendation from your child's AVT and/ audiologist and classroom teacher.
Publications:
http://www.phonak.com/content/dam/phonak/b2b/C_M_tools/FM/DynaMic-Leaflet.pdf
http://www.phonak.com/content/dam/phonak/b2b/C_M_tools/FM/Transmitters/inspiro-DynaMic-User-Guide.pdf
(The current price of the DynaMic is around $450.00.)
↧
↧
Time or Money? A Christmas and Year Long Reminder
I saw this posted this morning @Time-Warp Wife and it made me think of Auditory Verbal families.
I would say…
If you want your child to learn through listening and speaking, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.
Some of the most successful children I've had experience with in Auditory Verbal Therapy often aren't the ones who have the most toys, the latest video games, the most clothes or are in every activity, sport, running here and there rather the ones who loved ones spend time with in extended conversations, listening to stories and just doing life.
![]()
I would say…
If you want your child to learn through listening and speaking, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.
 |
| Source: @Time-Warp Wife |
Some of the most successful children I've had experience with in Auditory Verbal Therapy often aren't the ones who have the most toys, the latest video games, the most clothes or are in every activity, sport, running here and there rather the ones who loved ones spend time with in extended conversations, listening to stories and just doing life.
↧
The Cochlear Implant Is 10% Hardware And 90% Software
A cochlear implant is a small, electronic device that can help provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. The implant is surgically placed under the skin behind the ear. A cochlear implant does not restore or create normal hearing. Instead, it can give a deaf person a useful auditory understanding of the environment and help him or her to understand speech. Since 1990, thousands of children and adults have received cochlear implants. Cochlear implants were designed for persons with severe to profound hearing losses that obtain little benefit from hearing aids.
Cochlear implants are the only medical technology able to functionally restore one of the five senses. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sound, cochlear implants are electronic devices that bypass the damaged part of your inner ear so that you can hear your best.
Here is a clear video that briefly demonstrates hearing, hearing loss and how a CI functions.
“It’s been said that the cochlear implant is 10% hardware and 90% software. And the software is what you do with the device and involves the family and the Auditory Verbal program that emphasizes listening and speaking skills. Cochlear implants are tools, not miracles. But the results can be miraculous with the right software in place.
The journey starts with knowledge steps whether you are an adult with hearing loss or helping your child be successful with learning to listen and use spoken language.
↧
Christmas Pinterest Board for Auditory Verbal Therapy
↧
Using a Hearing Loop for Acoustic Access with Cochlear Implants
Hearing and Watching the Nutcracker Ballet
with a Hearing Loop
I shared this information with a school that has few children with cochlear implants, as they will be attending the Nutcracker Performance later this week. It was new information for them so I decided to write a post to help you, your child or student obtain acoustic access to such performances. However, this information applies to any similar events or venues.
 |
| http://www.marriotttheatre.com/show.aspx?show=74 |
As background information a hearing loop system is an assistive listening device designed to enhance sound from a TV, phone or in this case a venue with an induction loop" system which magnetically transmits sound to hearing aids and cochlear implants by telecoil (T-Coil). Although, I am an audiologist this is not my area of expertise so I highly recommend seeking information at websites such as: http://www.hearingloop.org as well as the cochlear implant or hearing aids manufacture's websites. I am providing this information as a service for the families I see for Auditory-Verbal therapy or as part of my LSL Consulting.
A telecoil is like an invisible assistive listening system that delivers sound wirelessly by magnetic induction. The telecoil is a small coil of wire built inside the hearing device designed to pick up a magnetic signal (wireless) from another device such as a telephone or hearing loop.
A hearing loop is a wire that is hidden under carpet, baseboards or around the perimeter of the room. A loop unit converts the signal to telecoil. The signal is sent wireless from the loop to the hearing device, providing a personalized sound broadcast to both ears without any wires or headsets.
Accessing a Hearing Loop with:
1. Advanced Bionics CIs with Harmony Processors.
The Harmony Sound Processor contains a built-in telecoil option that can be enabled and downloaded to any of the processor’s three program locations.
You may need to check the latest audiological assessment or contact the programming Audiologist at to determine if T-Coil feature is active.
Then, in order for the T-Coil to be effective, the individual must have access to a looped system such as at the play’s venue. This will allow their T-Coils to receive the electromagnetic field generated by these devices.
(When using any assistive listening device a consideration is their Ci’s audio-mixing which refers to the amplification ratio between the processor microphone and an auxiliary input device such as an active T-Coil, FM System, or auxiliary device. Audio-mixing allows the child’s processor microphone to remain on when connected to an auxiliary input, such as an active T-Coil, FM System, or auxiliary device. This is important because it enables the child to hear his own voice and sounds around him in addition to the input from the auxiliary device. The Audio-mixing is set for each program on the sound processor by the audiologist during programming. The default Audio-Mixing recommendation is 50/50.)
2. Cochlear Nucleus 5
Nucleus 5 Sound Processors that also have built-in telecoil. Again, check the most recent audiological assessment or contact their programming Audiologist to determine if T-Coil feature is in SIMPLE MODE or ADVANCED MODE.
The Cochlear Nucleus Support APP shows how this works and includes video clips.
But basically, if the processors are programmed for Simple Mode just use a quick press. If programmed for Advanced Mode, press and hold.
Press the upper button. A single long flash of green confirms that the telecoil is turned on.
To turn the telecoil off while using the sound processor, press the upper button again. A single long flash of orange confirms that the telecoil is turned off.
To enable telecoil using the children's Remote Assistant, press the left side button until the telecoil icon appears.
↧
↧
Storytelling with Rory's Story Cubes
This year, I purchased boxes and boxes of
Rory's Story Cubes
as Christmas presents for the school age children I see for therapy.
Overall, these Story Cubes are one of my favorite tools for listening and spoken therapy for both children with auditory processing needs and those with hearing loss. It’s compact, durable, and has a wide range of applications. I haven’t done research into the designer, but it almost feels like this was a game designed by a speech therapist or special education teacher. Here are a few targets that are can be your hidden agenda while playing one of the suggested games variations described on the box.
 |
| http://www.storycubes.com |
Targets:
Listening Skills – When used as a group game, the relatively small size of the pictures means that it’s hard for a student who wasn’t listening to just look at what his or her neighbor did and guess in order to continue the story or add ideas
Problem Solving – Interestingly, this skill is called out on the game’s packaging. Trying to fit nine seemingly unrelated objects or actions into the same theme or story is a problem-solving skill that’s appropriate for children and encourages creativity.
Item Identification – Most of the icons in the game are easily identified, and if they’re not, that provides an excellent opportunity to make a series of educated guesses.
Expressive Language – With dice that depict nouns and dice that depict verbs, you have the two most basic components of a sentence – an excellent scaffold for all forms of expressive language development.
Use of conjunction and transition words - Here is a free printable list from my colleague at ConstantlySpeaking.com. Print a copy and have it handy when telling stories.
Remember to model these words when telling your stories and then you child will listen and incorporate conjunction and transition words in their storytelling.
Use of conjunction and transition words - Here is a free printable list from my colleague at ConstantlySpeaking.com. Print a copy and have it handy when telling stories.
Remember to model these words when telling your stories and then you child will listen and incorporate conjunction and transition words in their storytelling.
 |
| http://consonantlyspeaking.com |
You may want to add the Rory's Story Cubes Actions or Voyages
Cube Sets to your collection!
Danielle Reed at Sublime Speech shares other ideas for storytelling and offers free templates to download for storytelling.
In addition, read as Danielle writes how to use the action dice is to practice verb tenses.
Check out below these links for bloggers who share how they use Rory Story Cubes in speech and language therapy.
Enjoy telling stories!
↧
Avoiding Holiday “Hearing Fatigue” for Kids with Hearing Loss
Click HERE to read this valuable guest post written by Dr. Krystyann Krywko for the Center for Hearing and Communication.
Tips to Avoid Holiday “Hearing Fatigue” for Kids (and Adults too) with Hearing Loss
 |
| http://vimeo.com/33990954 |
"Holidays provide your family with a break from the ordinary, time spent with extended family and friends, and also a chance to reinforce traditions. However, jammed schedules and unpredictable routines, mixed with the sights and sounds of the holidays can add up to a season full of stress for your child with hearing loss. Do you hear what I hear?
Extra noise in an enclosed space can be overwhelming. “Holiday celebrations often have lots of people talking, background music, flashing lights, and decorations,” says Dr. Brad Ingrao, an audiologist based in Florida. “This extra stimulus can be exhausting for a child to sift through in order to communicate. If you are celebrating at home, designate your child’s bedroom as a safe “noise-free” place where they can retreat to. If you are out at a friend’s or relative’s home (or a restaurant) ask if there is a quiet spot that your child can go to if necessary. Even a short break from listening and extra stimulus can help her make it through the celebration. Take a break.
Adults are better equipped to power through a jam-packed holiday schedule of visits and special events. However, children need time to rest and recharge. Build in breaks throughout your day. Take the time to find a place where your child can rest prior to intensive events, such as a large family dinner or trip to a holiday show. Make it Accessible
Many holiday events such as religious services and holiday extravaganzas are held in large spaces. Plan accordingly for your child’s hearing access. Be sure to contact the venue to ask about extra amplification such as a microphone, or a hearing loop. And don’t hesitate to ask about preferential seating. Be Realistic!
As you approach the holiday season the most important thing to keep in mind is to keep you expectations realistic. Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, author of Raising Your Spirited Child, suggests that when you sit down to make your plans for the holiday season, to write out your plans and then cut them in half. Many parents sabotage themselves from the start thinking that they can do it all. Lighten up on the things you think you need to do, and focus more on the things that you and your family want to do to add meaning to your holiday.
 |
| http://www.hdwallpapersinn.com/christmas-jingle-bells.html |
"At age three, Krystyann’s son was diagnosed with a hearing loss that wasn’t present at birth. Her story took another turn when soon after she discovered her own late-onset hearing loss; wearing hearing aids is a mother-son experience in the Krywko family! She wrote a book about the experience – Late Onset Hearing Loss: A Parent’s Perspective of What to Do When Your Child is Diagnosed."
See more at: http://www.chchearing.org/blog/4-tips-to-avoid-holiday-hearing-fatigue-kids-with-hearing-loss/#sthash.XG8dAmUu.dpuf
↧
Products To Keep Hearing Aids/Cochlear Implants On - All Waking Hours.
Eyes Open Hearing Aids or Cochlear Implants On!
 |
| http://www.babyhearing.org |
"If your baby wears hearing aids only four hours each day,
it will take six years to give him as much listening experience
as a normally hearing infant accumulates in one year."
(Stovall, D. [1982]. Teaching Speech to Hearing Impaired Infants and Children.
Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.)
 |
| http://hearinghenry.com |
Click HERE to visit my Pinterest Board with product ideas for all ages!
 |
| http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/2013/11/and-he-hears.html |
ALL WAKING HOURS?
Why?
The auditory portion of the brain needs to be developed before a child can use hearing to learn speech, language, social skills and reading. To develop the auditory brain, a child needs to hear ALL DAY long, every day. The speech the child hears needs to be clear and loud enough to perceive soft speech sounds.
- Typical hearing children hear 46 million words by age 4 years.
- Children need 20,000 hours of listening before they are ready to begin to learn how to read.
What does this mean for a child with hearing loss? It means that to be ready to start school like other children of the same age it is essential for the child to wear hearing aids every waking hour. Without consistent, all-day use of hearing aids the child is not likely to have language and social skills similar to age mates, nor will she be ready to learn to read at the same time. Even children with ‘mild’ hearing loss may have language more like 3 year olds when they are kindergarten age if they do not consistently use hearing aids. The important brain development period of the first year to two years cannot be made up later – children do not ‘catch up’ once they go to school.
What do hearing aids need to do?
Most of what a child learns she learns by overhearing - not by someone speaking to her directly. For this to happen, hearing aids need to provide enough sound for a child to hear soft speech. Even with hearing aids, children will not hear ‘normally’ and may need three times the exposure to learn new words and concepts. Hearing high frequencies is very critical (such as the hearing the difference between cat, cap, calf, cast). For children to hear soft speech and high frequency speech sounds, we need to be certain that hearing thresholds with the hearing aids are at 20-25 dB for all speech sounds. Once the audiologist has set the hearing aids to provide sufficient benefit, parents need to take over and be certain hearing aids are working well every day.
Hearing aids need to be checked daily.
When a child gets a hearing aid, parents should get a listening tube or hearing aid stethset. Each morning, someone needs to listen to the hearing aid to be sure it is working. Plug one end of the listening tube into the end of the earmold with the other end into your ear. Then just talk. Repeat the Ling Sounds (ah, ee, oo, mm, sh, ss) slowly, and then say some simple sentences. When listening every day, the sound of the hearing aid will become familiar and you will be able to hear a change if there is something wrong. If the hearing aid “sounds funny”, try taking off the earmold and check the hearing aid without the earmold. If it sounds okay without the earmold, check that the earmold is not clogged with wax, and check the earmold tubing to be sure it looks fine. If it still “sounds funny” and you know it is not a simple problem with the earmold then the hearing aid needs to go back to the audiologist to be checked. More information on Listening Checks can be gathered HERE.
LISTEN UP!
↧