Our new SLP called and set up times for therapy this coming week. After ten minutes on the phone, I realized several things:
- Our former SLP never took a look at Nolan's audiogram.
- Our former SLP never asked about communication modalities.
- Our former SLP really knew NOTHING about hearing loss!
The new speech language pathologist asked if I had a current copy of Nolan's audiogram. I told her we most certainly did, and would be repeating a few frequencies on Tuesday. She asked if we had thought about communication styles, and noticed we had expressed an interest in auditory verbal therapy in his IFSP. I had put AVT in his IFSP on a lark, knowing that there were probably no therapists familiar with the technique in our area.
Lo and behold, the new SLP has done AVT with one of her former charges. She has also worked with a total communication model, so she will accomodate whatever we choose to do. We actually get a speech pathologist who has experience with hearing loss? I'm doing a little tap dance as I type this! We want to proceed with AVT, so she requested that we get an aided audiogram to make sure Nolan is getting full access to all the sounds of speech. His level of loss should mean that he has access to all the sounds of speech with his aids, but we should verify his responses when aided.
She will also work with Matthew, since we have a package deal going in the early intervention department. Matt will probably graduate from EI at his six month review (the child still has some articulation issues, but has broken out with 3 and 4 word sentences lately). I would like to get one last hearing test before we boot him out of the system, though... just to make sure!
3 comments:
• Hi, my name is Elizabeth and I write for www.cochlearimplantonline. My fellow blogger, Rachel (a bilateral CI recipient) and I, along with a team of other moderators interested in hearing loss, have developed a new website, www.deafvillage.com, and we would love to add your blog to our feeds list. Please email me at: elizabeth@deavillage.com to subscribe! We hope you'll join us... because "it takes a village to raise a child"!
Wow! Great news all the way around! The SLP you have now sounds like a gem, a true keeper. Few around us truly get hearing loss either, from what I've seen at least. Good for you guys.
So FANTASTIC! I'm thrilled for you guys :)
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