As part of Trustee Week 2022, Vinay Purwaha, trustee at Auditory Verbal UK, shares his families experience of Auditory Verbal therapy and becoming a trustee:

“Both of my children failed the newborn hearing screening and when my eldest was diagnosed with a hearing loss, we did not really understand what this meant. To say we were stunned is an understatement. From that point onwards we then embarked on a journey of finding out more and what we, as parents, can do to help our children get the best start possible, despite these hurdles.

Like many other families, we were trying to find the starting point. We had no idea what this all meant to us but more importantly what this would mean to our children. Our NHS speech & language therapist suggested that we reach out to Auditory Verbal UK to find out more as we would benefit from their programme.

We enrolled both our children onto the AVUK program thereafter. The sessions involved the therapist coaching us on the techniques we would need to gain the best possible outcomes.

AVUK has given both of my children a solid foundation in their spoken language and listening skills. They are becoming independent and confident and do not see their deafness as an obstacle. Without the support of AVUK, I don’t think we would be in this position we are today with my children thriving the way they are.

An opening to become an AVUK trustee was made available in August 2021 to which I applied and was successfully appointed. The decision to apply was an easy one for me. The impact the AVUK programme made on my children sent a clear message to me, just apply! I simply wanted (and still want) to contribute towards AVUK’s strategy to help other deaf children get the best possible start in life.”