Meaningful Counseling Narrative That Explains Hearing Loss and Technology for Families

Link: The Ears Are Doorways to the Brain

Phonak Insight in January 2018, published this article

 and included the  summary below,

 This paper has proposed a counseling narrative that explains hearing loss and technology in a way that is meaningful for families. Since approximately 95% of children with hearing loss are born to hearing and speaking families, listening and talking will likely be desired outcomes for the vast majority of families we serve. Families need support in understanding what it takes to attain their desired outcome. 

Below are summary bullets for professionals and caregivers regarding this counseling narrative: 

• The ears are the doorways to the brain 
• Hearing occurs in the brain because we listen and understand with the brain, not the ear 
• Sound = auditory information = knowledge 
• Hearing is a stepping stone to cognition 
• Hearing loss is often a fixable doorway problem 
• Modern hearing technologies are designed to break through the ear/doorway to deliver auditory information to the brain 
• Hearing technologies must be worn at least 10 hours per day 
• Better quality and greater quantity of information delivered to the brain means stronger neural pathways are developed and more knowledge is gained

This white paper is authored by my mentor and dear friend Carol Flexer.

Functional Listening Evaluation - Phonak Free Download

Functional Listening Evaluation Phonak Free Download

Sound Advice and Classroom Acoustics

Spring is the time of year that families are finalizing their child’s preschool plans for the Fall. I share the Sound Advice article and the Mural with parents and teachers alike as they consider a classroom's acoustics and plan for accommodations or modifications to meet the child that is deaf or hard of hearing needs.  

The Sound Advice article and Mural available for free download in The Listening Room. It was created by my friend and colleague David Sindrey, M.Cl.Sc, LSLS Cert. AVT. Phonak and Advanced Bionic’s, The Listening Room generously offers abundant free rehabilitation and educational resources.

Go to: https://thelisteningroom.com/

You need to create a free account. Then once in,

• Go To Lessons
• Search for Murals in the search bar
• Choose Interactive Murals
• Sound Advice is Exercise 3

 

Remarkable Scripps National Spelling Bee Contestant

Do you remember my friend, Neil Maes the incredibly talented fifth-grader who made it to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2016? This year on March 3rd (National Hearing Day), Neil competed at Regionals and was 2nd place!!!! The winner goes to the National Bee in May 2018.

Neil is an amazing speller, with an incredible vocabulary, high literacy and so happens to have been born deaf. His mastery of spoken language and literacy is a result the fierce determination of his parents Peter and Christy.