Finding
out that your child has a hearing loss is a shocking
experience. Along
with dealing with a
wide range of emotional issues, there are also
many practical issues that must be addressed.
Not
only do you now have to deal with the feelings
you have, but you are being bombarded by a whole
new set of terms that are being used by the professionals
you see. There are doctors, audiologists, speech
therapists and teachers. They each have their own
jargon and even the well-intentioned ones toss
around words that you do not comprehend completely.
It is
important for you, as parents, to have a clear
understanding of the terms used by professionals
in the field of
hearing loss.
There are many technological options (hearing aids,
FM systems, cochlear implants, assistive listening
devices).
It is also important for you to understand the
different methodologies available for educating
your child.
There are many theories about education of the
deaf, and there are people who feel passionately
about
each of them.
As you make your decisions, you should
know that a significant body of research supports
the following
facts:
Research
shows that the audiogram is not a predictor
of oral success. Most profoundly deaf
children
have the potential to learn to speak.
The
earlier you start oral education, the better
the results will be. Intervention can begin
at birth, and should begin as soon as the
hearing loss is identified.
Listening
is basic to spoken language. A child who learns
to listen
at a young
age will also be better able to speak.
Let
yourself be exposed to all points of view and
then make an informed decision for your child
and family.
To
view sites with specific information, try these:
Resource for General Development
This site is presented by the National Center of Infants, Toddlers and
Families www.zerotothree.org
Parent Correspondence
Course
This facility provides a 2 week summer program as well as a correspondence
course to parents of hearing impaired children aged birth to 5 years. An
auditory oral
philosophy is followed, but parent choice is respected. I highly recommend
that you sign up for the correspondence course (in English or Spanish)
now. John Tracy Clinic (www.johntracyclinic.org)
Educating Your Child
There are several philosophies and methodologies
for educating hearing impaired children. Not
any one system is the best for all children. This
is a decision that you will have to make for
your
child and your family. You can make an informed
choice when you understand the options. And
remember, your decision is not written in stone.
All children
should be periodically evaluated for growth
in language skills. Specific objectives should
be
met. If progress has not been met, you have
every right to find out why. Take part in choosing
the educational option … don’t
let the ‘professionals’ make the
decision for you. Knowledge can empower you!
Auditory Verbal
Therapy - is a system that advocates
aggressive audiological management to ensure
maximal residual
hearing. Children
are taught to use hearing as their primary source
of information. Parents are strongly involved
in therapy sessions. The goal is development
of spoken
language skills and having hearing integrated
into the child’s personality.
Auditory Oral Method - is a system
in which auditory training and speechreading are used to develop spoken
language.
The amount of visual (speechreading) vs.
auditory training varies from program to program. http://www.oraldeafed.org/
Cued
Speech -
is a system of eight handshapes positioned in 4 locations near
the face to
clarify lipreading. The ‘cues’ accompany spoken
language. They are not a sign language; rather, they are based
on the sounds of spoken
English. (For example, ‘ban’, ‘pan’ and ‘man’ are
identical through lipreading, so each one would have different
cues to eliminate the confusion). Children using cued speech ‘see’ all
the sounds of English and this enhances their learning to read.
Total Communication – is
a system in which all means of communication are utilized to
develop language
skills.
Audition, speechreading, sign language
and
gestures are all used. The speaker talks and signs simultaneously,
so the sign language is English-based. Programs differ in their
use of sign language
and
auditory components. They form a continuum from those that
use a language that adheres closely to English (Signed Exact
English)
to
those that just
use a
few signs to support spoken language.
Local
programs to visit:
Marie Katzenbach State School for the Deaf
Lake Drive School for Hearing Impaired Children
Bergen County Special Services HI Program
Bi-Bi
(Bilingual-Bicultural) – The
fundamental premise of this philosophy
is that ASL American Sign Language) is
the native language of d/Deaf people.
Children should be given the opportunity to be educated
in their native language. It is also believed
that this will lead to proficiency in their
native language
which will, in turn, lead to greater proficiency in
English. The philosophy states that the
only "through the air" communication
should be signing ASL. Therefore, all instruction
in all content areas
is provided
in ASL.
English
is an important component of the program and is taught
as a class where it is addressed as a second
language through reading and writing.
What each “Bi-Bi” program does varies slightly.
Some encourage the use of hearing aids, developing
the sense of audition
and speech therapy
- each
having it's own place - but not taken advantage of
during the instruction where ASL is the means for communicating.
Because
it is impossible
to sign ASL and
use one's voice the children would not use their voice
to communicate while signing. Deaf children are encouraged
to experience and
join their heritage
in the Deaf
Culture. Deaf adults play a major role as models for
the children.
