If optimally aided, can all children with hearing loss learn to listen and talk? Expand Auditory Verbal therapy programmes are developed for each individual child and are based on extensive knowledge of typical auditory, speech and language, and cognitive development. For the majority of children, it is possible to capture the child’s auditory attention and show them the power of their own voice meaning that they can learn to listen and talk. In a small proportion of children, this is not the case and in these instances, the therapist will work with the family and other local professionals to ensure that they are given the most appropriate guidance and support.
When is it best to start AVT? Should we wait until our baby is older? Expand At Auditory Verbal UK we work with babies and children aged up to five years old to maximise the vital development stage of the brain. For children who are born deaf, especially into hearing families with no experience of hearing loss, skilled and sensitive early support is vital if they are to develop the language and communication skills they need to be ready to start school alongside their hearing peers. Research shows the younger you start AVT, the better the outcomes will be for your child. See latest evidence here.
Our child is being assessed for a cochlear implant. Should we wait? Expand No, research shows that the earlier you start AVT, the better the outcomes for your child will be. Auditory Verbal therapy is a diagnostic approach which complements the routine tests carried out during cochlear implant assessment. The large majority of children with a profound hearing loss have some degree of useful hearing in the lower frequencies. Our role is to ensure that your child is making the very best use of their residual hearing as they await cochlear implant fitting. We do this by giving you auditory verbal techniques and strategies to use at home that maximise listening and speaking in everyday situations.
Which websites can I trust to give me impartial information about hearing loss? Expand It is fantastic that there is so much information online about hearing loss, but it can be challenging to navigate yourself around and find information that you can trust. AVUK’s website can provide you with specialist information about the Auditory Verbal approach. The National Deaf Children’s Society provides impartial information about all levels of hearing loss, and the support that is available.
Should my child learn British Sign Language (BSL) as well as having Auditory Verbal therapy? Expand Most parents who come to us want their children to learn to talk through listening. Our experience tells us that this is an achievable goal for the majority of children with a hearing loss. Spoken language learning is time-sensitive: there is a relatively short window of time in which children’s brains are able to learn to make sense of sound. Auditory Verbal therapy is just one of the options that parents of deaf children may choose to pursue. Some families will use sign language and spoken language together. Some will choose sign language. We believe every family with a deaf child should have the information and access to services to support their child’s language development.
What does a child need for Auditory Verbal therapy to be effective? Expand The foremost pre-requisite for AVT to be effective is that the child has supportive and encouraging parents or carers who will celebrate their child’s achievements. The people who know their child best are the parents or carer and they must be able to share their expertise of their child with their Auditory Verbal Therapist and incorporate the Auditory Verbal strategies into their everyday life, each and every day. An accurate diagnosis of the hearing loss together with the most appropriate and optimally programmed hearing technology (hearing aids or implantable devices such as a bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA), cochlear implant (CI) or auditory brainstem implant (ABI)) are also essential components to get right at the start of the Auditory Verbal programme. Each parent must be confident with their child’s hearing technology and the child must be happy to wear their hearing technology consistently. Lastly, early intervention is vital if a child is to develop the language and communication skills they need to be ready to start schools alongside their hearing peers.
What are the benefits of Auditory Verbal therapy? Expand Children who receive Auditory Verbal therapy are more likely to develop the speech and language skills that enable them to have an equal start at school to their hearing peers. The best communication outcomes for deaf children- whether spoken or signed or a combination of both- are associated with early diagnosis and early enrolment in effective Early Intervention programmes. without such intervention, deaf children are at greater risk of leaving primary school without developing the expected standard of reading, writing, and mathematics, compared to their hearing peers. Deaf children struggle to catch up from their lower starting point through secondary school and beyond. Auditory Verbal therapy's emphasis on audition allows children to develop clear speech as they self-monitor their own production through listening. As a child develops spoken language through listening, their reading skills also develop too, because reading is an auditory skill. You can read more about the evidence base for Auditory Verbal therapy here.
Do you work with children who have auditory brainstem implants (ABIs)? Expand AVUK has experience of working with several children who have auditory brainstem implants (ABI). We recognise the unique needs of children with ABIs and work closely with your auditory implant team to ensure that your child is getting the best access to speech through their implant. Goals are set on a regular basis and progress is closely monitored, with the aim of accelerating your child’s ability to make sense of sound through her/his ABI.
I work full-time or have full-time caring responsibilities. Can a family member or someone else come in my place? Expand Parents and carers are central to the success of the Auditory Verbal programme. The aim is to give you the techniques and strategies you need to develop your child’s listening and talking in the home and beyond. Where possible, we will try to find a way for parents/carers to attend each session. However, we recognise that this is not always possible. If this is the case, we can work with other key caregivers such as close family members, and all sessions are recorded so that you can continue to learn new techniques and see how your child is progressing.
We live a long way from your centres. How can we make AVT work? Expand Travelling to our centres can be difficult for some, especially if you have no transport or live far away. We have experience working with families living across all four countries of the UK, some of whom travel long distances by car, train or airplane to get the most out of the service. For several years we have been holding many sessions via telepractice (over services such as Zoom and Skype). During the Covid-19 pandemic all Auditory Verbal therapy at AVUK was carried out in this way, and although we have resumed in person sessions for those able to make it, many others have chosen to continue their sessions online. Other solutions include that some instances we have been able to offer appointments monthly instead of fortnightly appointments. If you are concerned about travel, please speak to one of our therapists and they will discuss with you which options may suit your family’s needs.