Students and families collaborate on communication in everyday life

Families "listen" with their hearts

Parents of children who are diagnosed as having a hearing loss often feel overwhelmed and in need of extra support. As part of their practicum experience, graduate students on the Listen Team provide therapy to children who are deaf or hard of hearing while coaching parents in ways to facilitate listening, speech and language development. They also assist in planning and participating in Family Support Group events.

Throughout children’s lives they and their parents encounter new adventures and challenges. Parents of children with hearing loss at times have unique questions and concerns. “Experienced” parents of children with hearing loss become experts in assisting the “less experienced” parents. To help foster this relationship, two or three times each semester, the Listen Team hosts a Family Support Group event for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, their siblings and significant adults in their lives. During these events, the children are entertained by the student clinicians with language-filled fun activities. The children enjoy making friends with others who also use hearing aids or cochlear implants. The parents are generally given a brief presentation followed by discussion on topics such as reading audiograms, developing literacy skills, facilitating conversation skills, and dealing with unique issues that “typically hearing” siblings may have. More importantly, the parents have an opportunity to ask questions of each other, share stories, shed tears of joy and grief, and build lasting friendships.

For further information regarding the Family Support Group, please contact Janet Kahn at (850) 645-4880 or jkahn@fsu.edu.