SUMMER OF SILENCE - A journey from hearing to deafness to re-implantation

 Summer of Silence  - Click HERE to read.
November 29, 2016
Urban Plains 

 Sydney Price, one of my Auditory Verbal graduates is a Senior at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. She writes the story of while studying abroad in Italy her cochlear implant failed. Health insurance left her in limbo and she experienced a summer of silence and struggled with her identity. Her article is an awe-inspiring first-hand account of her journey from hearing to deafness to re-implantation.

“Not every deaf person gets to say they took their hearing for granted. I did.” writes Sydney.


Sydney began AVT as an infant and continued in therapy for many years. We kept in touch over the years and she returned for Auditory Rehabilitation this summer after being re-implanted due to her cochlear implant device failure. 

Sydney is on the left enjoying a Summer Family Picnic with 
my Hearing Connections Group back in the 90's

 I love her quote, 
“I didn’t just need a slew of audiologist appointments to test if I could hear.
I needed auditory rehabilitation to help retrain my brain
 so I could understand what I was hearing.”

Auditory Verbal Graduate Earned the Rank of Eagle Scout

Mat, may the high goals and ideals 
which led to this special honor 
continue to inspire you in years ahead.

Help me congratulations Mat, one of my AV graduates who earned the rank of Eagle Scout this week. He began AV therapy at about 8 months old and received services through middle school. Today, he is a junior in high school, a high achiever, a leader and a spoken language superstar. Mat is looking at universities with the inspiration to become a research audiologist.

 Auditory Verbal therapy made it possible for Mat to learn to listen, talk with clear and natural speech, develop spoken language, excellent literacy, and academic skills. He hears with a cochlear implant.

Mat and his Mom. - His biggest advocate and teacher

Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America. 

After 16 years we are still great friends!




Mat attended the 2016 A.G. Bell's LOFT (Leadership Opportunities for Teens) program
 this past summer in Denver. 
Mat is front and center wearing the white and yellow. 

Have You Seen The Quick Guides to Hearing Device Components from CID?

https://cid.edu/

The Central Institute For the Deaf has three quick and simple video guides to hearing devices.
Hearing Aid Components
Cochlear Implant Components
Bone Conduction Devices
These are ideal for a parent, caregiver or school professional new to listening devices that need to learn the parts of a hearing cochlear implant or bone conduction device.
C.I.D's You Tube Link

Ten Little Native Americans


This week in therapy I began using Thanksgiving as a theme in some of my AVT sessions. My little listeners enjoy the song, Ten Little Indians while it may not be considered politically correct it is a wonderful repetitive song that I have used for countless years. We sing and shout, "Woo woo woo, Woo woo woo" which is great for early sound awareness and imitation. 

Together, we take the Native Indian boys and girls in and out of the teepee which is a catalyst for many listening and spoken language activities and goals.


One little, two little, three little Indians
Four little, five little, six little Indians
Seven little, eight little, nine little Indians
Ten little Indian boys/girls.

Auditory Verbal Center of Wheaton, Illinois