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One of the great things about this newsletter is bringing new technologies and scientific advances in the area of hearing loss to your attention. This issue, we feature some exciting articles about how technology can impact your life.
Don't forget to send any feedback you have for our newsletter or ideas for future articles by clicking here. If you would like to nominate a child for our Family Spotlight or share an achievement in Now HEAR This, click here. |
There's an App for That!
by: Nancy Gregg, CertAVT
For the past several months, we have been using iPads in the classrooms and therapy sessions at the Alabama School for Hearing. The kids love it! Most apps can be used in such a way that children can focus on achieving their individual speech and language objectives. As long as you don't overdo it, apps for preschoolers can open up a world of fun learning oppportunities. Here are just a few of our favorite apps:
The Wheels on the Bus: this is an animated, interactive song. As each verse plays, the children get to touch or slide something to interact with the pictures. The singing in our classrooms is beautiful, as the children know they must sing in order to take their turn pushing the screen.
Fun with Directions: this is a great interactive app useful for children at varying levels of listening experience. It provides simple directions such as "touch the dog" to more complex such as "give the girl with the yellow hat a brown car". Children have fun practicing listening skills, auditory directions, and basic concepts as they manipulate objects and use the magic crayons.
Kindergarten.com: this offers opportunities to practice reasoning skills such as identifying which item from a group doesn't belong, and which items in a group go together. Great vocabulary pictures from a wide range of categories can be found here as well.
My First Puzzles: great adaptation of traditional wooden puzzles for kids, but without the frustration of missing pieces.
Articulation Station: this app provides several activities allowing children opportunities to practice pronouncing speech sounds clearly. Like any new toy or gadget, the iPad is only beneficial when used in meaningful, interactive ways. Make sure you are working with your child as he/she manipulates the apps. Remember it is not the toy or technology that is really important... it is the words in their ears that truly matter!
P.S. Some companies have come out with apps for maintaining your equipment, including Cochlear's Baha or CI troubleshooting apps and Phonak's FM troubleshooting app - available on iTunes. Phonak also publishes instructional videos on "Teacher Tube" to share with your school personnel. YouTube has a lot of content from the manufacturers as well. |
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Teens with Hearing Loss: Life After High School
by: Cara Donahue AuD
"Do they have FM systems in college classrooms?"
"Will I receive the same services in college that I had in high school?"
"Are there other teenagers with hearing loss in college?"
"What are my rights as a person with hearing impairment?"
"I'm concerned about funding."
These are questions a lot of our teenagers have as they begin to think about life after high school. Up until this point, the school system may have played a big part in providing your child with services and accommodations that have made learning in the
classroom a little bit easier. Whether it be an on-staff audiologist who is able to troubleshoot minor issues, providing an FM system, preferential seating, or providing a sign language interpreter, all of these services were funded by the school system. Unfortunately, once your child leaves high school, these services are not guaranteed. Whether your child is going to college or straight into the workforce, it becomes the responsibility of the teenager to advocate for their rights and to make sure that they are taking advantage of all the services out there for those with hearing loss.
Phonak's GAP (Guide to Access Planning) Program is a resource aimed to help teenagers start planning for the future. On this website, you will be able to find information on:
- Funding for college and audiology services
- How to connect with other teenagers with hearing loss
- What questions to ask your College Disability Coordinator
- How to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance
- Learning more about your hearing loss
- And much more!
Please take the time to visit Phonak's website for more information: http://www.phonakonline.com/MyGap/GapMain.html. Some information will apply for younger children as well.
Other Online Resources to check out:
John Tracy Clinic- online correspondance courses
First Steps - information on newborn screening and follow-up
PEEPs - statewide parent mentor program
Facebook sites for HA and CI manufacturers |
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This is the first of a new regular feature in Around HEAR, bringing you updates on research in the areas of hearing loss and speech-language development.
New Genetics Testing Available
Dr. Nathaniel Robin, geneticist at UAB, presented new research to the Hearing and Speech Department on January 10, 2012, regarding a new, more comprehensive test for genetic hearing loss. Instead of testing for individual genes, the new test is able to screen for over 60 types of genetic hearing loss. If your child was previously evaluated by genetics with inconclusive results, contact your audiologist regarding how to set up a re-evaluation with Dr. Robin. If you have never had genetics testing, you may contact your audiologist or contact the UAB Genetics Clinic to schedule a new patient evaluation. |
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Dr. Woolley Wins Rayovac Award
(Reprinted with permission from Children's Our Way employee n ewsletter)
Dr. Audie Woolley was recently named Rayovac's 2011 Regional Hearing Professional of the Year. He donated his $500 prize to the Alabama School for Hearing, located at Cantebury United Methodist Church. Eleven children ages 3 to 6 who have significant hearing loss are enrolled in the school. Children's of Alabama certified auditory verbal therapists Nancy Gregg (left) and Natalie Baldwin (right) work with the children there. For more information on the school, please contact Nancy Gregg. |
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HEAR Staff Presents at State Meeting
At the recent annual convention of the Speech & Hearing Association of Alabama, Dr. Audie Woolley presented "Cochlear Implant Outcomes for Children in Alabama", which included demographic data as well as an update on CI and Baha technology. His presentation was followed by "FM Advantage: Strategies for Success" by Suzanne Jones, Au.D. Suzanne presented information on how audiologists can use best practices to fit, verify, and maintain FM systems. The presentations were well attended and received good feedback from the speech pathologists and audiologists at the conference. |
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Around HEAR Earns Recognition
 "Around HEAR" has received the 2011 All Star Award from Constant Contact. Each year, a select group of Constant Contact customers are honored with the All Star Award for their exemplary marketing results. Our "Around Hear" newsletter and other clinic related emails ranked among the top 10% of Constant Contact's over 500,000 customers in categories such as number of mailings and open rates. Thank you for your readership - this award is really for you, our readers and our families! Way to go!
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Customize Your Hearing Technology | |
Skin-it has introduced additional skins to fit Cochlear brand processors in addition to its Advanced Bionics designs. You can get one of thousands of styles or design your own.
Tube riders have become available through various online retailers. These small charms fit on earmold tubing to jazz up your hearing aids.
Hearing aid jewelry and other accessories that show off the wearer's personal style were recently featured in the Birmingham News. See the article here. |
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Save the Date
Plan to join us at Railroad Park on May 5th from 10:00-11:30 a.m. for a Toy Swap. Bring your used toys to donate and bring home new-to-you toys! Feel free to bring your lunch and enjoy the park with other families even after the swap has concluded. Invitations will be emailed and posted around clinic in April.
Also, stay tuned for more details about the Fall Event, which will likely be in October. You won't want to miss it! |
| | Calling All Filmmakers! | | Enter AG Bell's "Why I Love Hearing Technology" contest! AG Bell is now accepting video entries featuring individuals, groups and organizations who support, use or know someone who uses hearing technology to listen and talk. The 60-second video should tell us why you love hearing technology and how it benefits you. All entries are eligible for a chance to win a $250 Apple gift card! The deadline to submit your video is May 1, 2012, by 4:00 p.m. |
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Parent 2 Parent Tip | |
Gramm Horton of Tuscaloosa has worn an otoclip of some kind since he was first fit with hearing aids at age 5 months. His mom, Abby, recommends starting off with an otoclip at a young age. She says, "Introducing an otoclip at an early age is important because at some point many parents decide that an otoclip is necessary at least for outings, daycare/school, trips away from home, etc. As a toddler, he/she may be more resistant to wearing an otoclip because it is unfamiliar to the child." She prefers the shorter cord and the lack of stretchy material on the Critter Clips as opposed to those included in the manufacturer care kits. She reported that Gramm used to play with the stretchy loops on his original clip and is less distracted by the Critter Clip. She says the otoclips have saved Gramm's hearing aids from toilets, cereal bowls, and other water hazards many times over. You can find various kinds of clips at the HEAR Center and online. Thanks to the Horton family for this quarter's tip! If you have a tip to share, please email us. |
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