Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • Professionals' Portal
  • Staff Wellbeing Portal
  • Contact us
Auditory Verbal
SUPPORT FOR YOUR CHILD
We are here to help
DONATE
Need to talk?
01869 325 000
  • Twitter
Menu
  • Home
  • About us
    • Our mission and values
    • Our strategy
    • Our history
    • People
      • Staff and Volunteers
      • Trustees
      • Voluntary Advisory Board
      • Ambassadors
      • Our founder
      • Our patron
    • Diversity and Inclusion Statement
    • How we're funded
    • Work for us
    • Policies and publications
    • Media centre
    • Events
  • I'm a parent
    • Meet an Auditory Verbal therapist
    • Programme for families
    • Family activities
    • Graduates
    • Book shop
  • Auditory verbal therapy
    • What is Auditory Verbal therapy?
    • Early intervention
    • Evidence base for Auditory Verbal Therapy
    • Telepractice
    • Case studies
    • FAQs
  • I'm a professional
    • Auditory Verbal therapy training package
    • Course dates
    • Training stories
    • Recommended resources
  • Our impact
    • News
    • Changing lives
    • Facts and figures
    • Family quotes
    • Our awards
    • Our projects
    • In the media
  • Support us
    • #HearUsNow
      • Sign Orson and Avril's letter
      • Write to your MP
    • Got 1 minute?
    • Fundraise for us
    • Set up a regular donation
    • Leave a gift in your will
    • Supporters
    • Loud Shirt Day
    • Other ways to support
      • Small businesses
      • Family Bursary Fund
      • School fundraising
      • Other ways to give
  • Donate
  • Admin
    • Log in
    • Professionals' Portal
    • Staff Wellbeing Portal
    • Contact us
  • Basket: (0 items)
  1. Auditory verbal therapy
  2. FAQs

FAQs

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.

Published: 1st March, 2016

Updated: 13th December, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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.

Published: 4th March, 2016

Updated: 22nd October, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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.

Published: 6th March, 2016

Updated: 22nd October, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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.

Published: 8th March, 2016

Updated: 22nd October, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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.

Published: 9th March, 2016

Updated: 24th October, 2022

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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. 

Published: 12th March, 2016

Updated: 22nd October, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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.

Published: 13th March, 2016

Updated: 22nd October, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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.

Published: 17th March, 2016

Updated: 22nd October, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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.

Published: 17th March, 2016

Updated: 22nd October, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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.

Published: 17th March, 2016

Updated: 22nd October, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Load more Back to top

Showing 10 of 19

Latest

  • Loud Shirt Day 2023

  • Guided observation of an Auditory Verbal therapy session - additional needs

    Guided observation of an Auditory Verbal therapy session - additional needs

  • Guided observation of an Auditory Verbal therapy session -  Telepractice

    Guided observation of an Auditory Verbal therapy session - Telepractice

  • Auditory Verbal Clinical Excellence Network (CEN) meeting - 18 May

    Auditory Verbal Clinical Excellence Network (CEN) meeting - 18 May

Most read

  • What is Auditory Verbal therapy?

    What is Auditory Verbal therapy?

    Auditory verbal therapy is a highly specialist early intervention programme which equips parents with the skills to maximise their deaf child’s speech and language development.

  • Training to be an Auditory Verbal Therapist

    Training to be an Auditory Verbal Therapist

    Find out how you can train to become an Auditory Verbal Therapist in the UK.

  • Evidence base for Auditory Verbal therapy

    Evidence base for Auditory Verbal therapy

    Deaf children can learn to listen and speak – like their hearing peers. What's the evidence?

  • Our mission and values

    Our mission and values

    At Auditory Verbal UK, we want all deaf babies and children to have the same opportunities in life as their hearing peers.

  • Work for us

    Work for us

    Do you have an interest in transforming children’s lives? See our vacancies.

  • The Education, Heath and Care Plan process

    The Education, Heath and Care Plan process

    Families have shared that the Education, Health and Care Plan process can sometimes feel daunting or confusing so we have collated the most frequently asked questions to try and help clarify the process.

  • Session activity ideas

    Session activity ideas

  • Foundation level

    Foundation level

    This 6-month course is available in an online learning format. Designed to equip professionals with the core skills needed to develop auditory practice when working with children with hearing loss and their families, we are also able to deliver this course in-service to employers wishing to train groups of staff.

  • Early intervention

    Early intervention

    What are the benefits of an early intervention programme?

  • AVT programme for families

    AVT programme for families

    We want to make sure you are able to access information, guidance and support at a pace that suits you. Find out how you can join the programme.

Tag cloud

AVUK news case studies Changing lives family news MP3 our stories youtube

Sign up for our newsletter

      • Twitter
      • Facebook
      • YouTube
      • Instagram
      • LinkedIn
  • Contact
  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
  • Diversity & Inclusion statement
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Media Centre
  • 01869 325 000

Auditory Verbal UK is a registered charity (charity no:1095133). Registered company number: 4569764. Registered in England & Wales. Auditory Verbal UK is the operating name of the Auditory Verbal Centre.

GSK 2020 IMPACT Award Winner 
Manage Cookie Preferences