Jace Wolfe

Hearts for Hearing (United States)

Children with hearing loss must have full-time access to speech and environmental sounds to optimize their listening and spoken language development. This session will summarize the research that examines hearing technology wear time in children and its effect on outcomes. Tips for optimizing wear time will be provided.

Jace Wolfe

During this session participants will:

• Describe research that explores typical hearing technology wear time for children with hearing loss.
• Describe factors that influence hearing technology wear time for children with hearing loss.
• Describe the effect of hearing technology wear time on outcomes and brain development.

.15 AAA CEUs/.15 ASHA CEUs/1.5 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.5 COL

Emma Burton, Estelle Gerrett
Auditory Verbal UK (U.K.)

Humor is considered a core component of resilience, well-being, and social competence. But research shows delays in verbal humor development in children with hearing loss. Join us for a practical workshop, exploring the latest research and effective strategies for enabling humor appreciation and creation that support children’s social and emotional development.

During this session participants will:

• Explain the stages of verbal humor development from infancy to school age, and the building blocks required for mastery of each stage.
• Discuss research relating to the impact of hearing loss on the development of verbal humor.
• Apply strategies to support parents in nurturing their child’s verbal humor skills through everyday conversations and playful interaction.

.15 AAA CEUs/.15 ASHA CEUs/1.5 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.5 COL

Ellen Rhoades
AV International Training/Consults (United States)

Nannette Nicholson
Nova Southeastern University (United States)

Rachel Glade
University of Arkansas (United States)

“Holistic intervention,” an emerging, data-driven early intervention, will be defined and its inherent characteristics explained. Session participants will engage collaboratively to identify current problematic issues. Potential plans of action will include solution-focused strategies and evaluation protocols for staffing, and organizational changes to meet the needs of diverse families.

During this session participants will:

• Identify existing barriers and missed opportunities in the delivery and evaluation of services in early intervention and/or auditory-verbal programs serving diverse families and their children with hearing loss.
• Define and describe “holistic intervention,” including its data-driven goals and long-term implications.
• Collaborate by exchanging solution-focused ideas and specific strategies that pertain to organizational cultures and community-based networking as well as the training needs of service providers and university students.

.15 AAA CEUs/.15 ASHA CEUs/1.5 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.5 COL

Therese Minkoff, Andrea Vargas, Christiana David, Erin Levy
Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego (United States)

A co-treatment model of cochlear implant mapping involves collaboration between the audiologist, the auditory-verbal therapist or speech-language pathologist, and the parent within the same appointment results in more dynamic adjustments and meaningful functional listening gains in speech perception, and ultimately improved language and speech production skills.

During this session participants will:

• Identify the specific roles of each stakeholder in a multi-disciplinary cochlear implant mapping appointment.
• Describe ways to increase interdisciplinary collaboration within the context of their own practice, focusing on the goal of increasing auditory access to speech.
• State the difference between perception speech production errors and articulation errors.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Noel Kenely, Frances Clark, Anita Grover, Sarah Hogan, Eleanor Conroy
Auditory Verbal UK (U.K.)

How can we transform our practice and services to meet the needs of a “new normal”? How do we respond to the potential secondary effects of the pandemic? Hear from clinicians and service managers. Share your experiences in a lively discussion and create a collaborative document to support practitioners worldwide.

During this session participants will:

• Be able to think creatively about changes in service provision, parental engagement, and daily practice in the move from lockdown to the “new normal.”
• Identify the difference between change and transformation in service provision, and consider methods of evaluation.
• Describe some of the potential secondary effects of the pandemic on child development and resilience.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Sherri Fickenscher, Courtney McGee
Clarke Schools for Hearing & Speech (United States)

“Social and emotional competencies can be taught, modeled, and practiced and lead to positive student outcomes that are important for success in school and in life”(https://casel.org/what-is-sel/). This statement by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) will be explored and addressed in this presentation.

During this session participants will:

• Identify the five core social and emotional competencies as outlined by CASEL.
• List three reasons why focusing on emotional well-being increases the likelihood of learning.
• Discuss two benefits to implementing the Kimochis® program in their practice and/or school.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Ivette Cejas
University of Miami (United States)

The pandemic has led to heightened levels of stress and elevated mental health concerns. Data on the impact and exposure of COVID on parenting and mental health in families of children with hearing loss will be presented. Screening tools and strategies to help families seeking support will also be discussed.

During this session participants will:

• Discuss the effects of the pandemic on mental health.
• List screening tools for mental health.
• Describe ways to identify families at risk for mental health or parenting concerns.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Lyndsey Allen
Think Talk and Learn (U.K.)

Yogita Baviskar
Adhyayan Hear and Speech Centre (India)

Adapting our communication style to Consultant, Coach, or Counsellor builds collaborative relationships and establishes trust. Changing styles is difficult as competency, stress, uncertainty, bias, or stereotypes cause us to stick to our comfort zone as an expert consultant. A collaboration between India and the U.K. bring you the science of adaptability to avoid getting stuck in your comfort zone.

During this session participants will:

• Identify verbal responses more typical of consultant, coach, or counsellor communication style.
• Describe five reasons auditory-verbal therapists get stuck in the comfort zone of expert consultant.
• Formulate two personal development goals so your communication style can be consultant, coach, and counsellor.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Jill Duncan
University of Newcastle (Australia)

For young people who are deaf or hard of hearing, social capital can have a buffering effect against adverse life outcomes. This presentation will explain social capital, summarize research that Dr. Duncan co-investigated related to social capital of adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing, and suggest instructional considerations for developing social capital.

During this session participants will:

• Informally assess social capital characteristics of adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Differentiate barriers and facilitators of social capital of adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Plan an activity that will facilitate the development of social capital of an adolescent who is deaf or hard of hearing.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Magdalena Massone
Advanced Bionics (Argentina)

María Lorena Valenzuela
CIAL Consultorio Integral de Audición y Lenguaje (Argentina)

Every day more families with children who have developmental needs associated with hearing loss attend the consultation. Our challenge is to develop an appropriate evaluation battery, determine the most appropriate therapeutic methodology, and develop specific therapy plans for the needs of each child and their families.

During this session participants will:

• Carry out evaluations of the different areas of development in children with complex communication needs.
• Develop individualized intervention plans according to the abilities of each child.
• Strengthen knowledge of the needs and specific strategies for the educational approach while considering the whole family.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Mary Ellen Nevins, Pat Chute
Chute & Nevins Consulting (United States)

Mid-career professionals in LSL practice bring knowledge and skills to their workplaces. However, skills in leadership and effective communication are necessary for advancement. This session curates proven leadership and communication concepts from business to meet the unique needs of LSL professionals. This intermediate level session addresses authentic leadership and communicative excellence.

During this session participants will:

• Identify personal strengths and professional goals to drive authentic leadership development.
• Compare and contrast communication challenges in the workplace.
• Articulate a personal goal that identifies action for continued learning and expansion of leadership skills.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Sarah Radlinski
Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc. (United States)

There is an increasing need to provide evidenced-based recommendations regarding dual language learning in children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This presentation highlights current research in the field as well as three case studies of DHH children with ASD from culturally and linguistically diverse homes.

During this session participants will:

• List red flags for a diagnosis of ASD in DHH children.
• Describe the impact of dual language learning in DHH children with ASD.
• Summarize recommendations for supporting the home language in children with a dual diagnosis of hearing loss and ASD.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Sharon Bruna, Emma Rushbrooke
Hear and Say (Australia)

This presentation will evaluate whether children with single-sided deafness (SSD) show functional improvements in listening ability after receiving a cochlear implant (CI), and if this improvement is maintained over time. Pre- and post-CI assessment data for 12 subjects, recruited from a cohort of 37 children using CI for SSD, will be presented.

During this session participants will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of treatment options and be able to describe the pre- and post-CI assessment protocol for children with SSD.
• Identify and explain the benefits of binaural hearing.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the audiological management and listening and spoken language therapy required to optimize outcomes.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Auditory Training for Adults with Cochlear Implants

Tracey Taylor, Georgia Cambridge

Hear and Say (Australia)

This presentation will discuss auditory training in adults post cochlear implantation, focusing on a systematic review of the current literature. It will also demonstrate the collaborative work between audiologists and listening and spoken language specialists when working with this cohort of clients.

During this session participants will:

• Describe auditory training approaches being used with adult cochlear implant users.
• Identify gaps in the current knowledge base regarding adult auditory training and how future research might fill these gaps.
• Understand the collaboration between an audiologist and listening and spoken language specialist when working with an adult client post switch on.

AVT Meets AAC: CIs and Complex Needs

Blair Richlin

New York Eye & Ear Infirmary of Mt. Sinai (United States)

This case study focuses on patients and families with diagnosed hearing loss and additional disabilities who participated in aural habilitation/rehabilitation and speech/language, focusing on the development of listening and spoken language skills with support of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC).

During this session participants will:

• Discuss sensory appropriate modes of communication utilized in conjunction with auditory-verbal strategies.
• Explain how alternative and augmentative communication can support listening and spoken language skills.
• Describe how parental involvement is different when addressing listening and spoken language skills in conjunction with AAC.

New, New Hand Cue: Masks During COVID-19

Blair Richlin, Nicole Klein

New York Eye & Ear Infirmary of Mt. Sinai (United States)

Prior to COVID-19, patients and caregivers of patients with hearing loss often received in-person aural rehabilitation/habilitation services. This retrospective study focuses on the reasoning and participation of families who opted for in-person aural rehabilitation services during the pandemic.

During this session participants will:

• Discuss how effective telehealth speech therapy/aural rehab was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Discuss how a mask impacts in-person speech therapy/aural rehab.
• Discuss how patient and/or caregiver stress levels are impacted by therapy or mask wearing.

Tele-Therapy Intervention and Outcomes for School-Aged Children

Autumn Sanderson, Jestina Bunch, Emily Clark, Ashley Irick

UTHSC Department of Audiology & Speech Pathology (United States)

There is a growing need for tele-therapy services for school-aged children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Programs are faced with decisions regarding patient criteria and implementation for evidenced-based practice. Our Center has established and documented resources and outcomes in order to meet patient needs using tele-therapy.

During this session participants will:

• Identify resources utilized to implement lesson plans via tele-therapy for school-aged children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Describe criteria outlining ideal candidates for tele-therapy services.
• Describe highlighted case studies and outcomes.

Can Canine-Assisted Therapy become Audiology’s Best Friend?

Katie Matofsky

Yeshiva University/ Stern College for Women (United States)

Can Canine-Assisted Therapy (CAT) become Audiology’s Best Friend highlights the need to empirically study CAT in audiology by summarizing research about CAT for children with different illnesses, examining the prevalence of hearing loss among children with those illnesses, and discussing anecdotal evidence for the successful implementation of CAT in audiology.

During this session participants will:

• Discuss the benefits of canine-assisted therapy for children with different illnesses and special healthcare needs as demonstrated in the literature.
• Identify the relevant statistics for the prevalence of hearing loss among children with different illnesses and special healthcare needs.
• Identify the benefits and barriers to the use of animal-assisted therapy for children with hearing loss.

Autism and CIs, Strategies to Improve Communication

Maria Christiana David

Rady Children’s Hospital (United States)

Children who are deaf or hard of hearing and have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) can benefit from the use of Listening and Spoken Language Strategies (LSL) in tandem with early intervention strategies for children with autism to build communication, early social language, cognition, and language.

During this session participants will:

• State at least three red-flags for autism in children who are deaf or hard of hearing under the age of 24 months.
• State at least three skills for which children with autism may require more support and practice.
• State at least three ways to pair listening and spoken language strategies with early intervention strategies for children at risk for developing autism spectrum disorders.

Speech-Perception in DHH Who Received AVT in Japan

Shujiro Minami

National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology (Japan)

Children who are deaf or hard of hearing with audiologic thresholds greater than 90 dB HL or aided thresholds greater than 40 dB HL should be considered for cochlear implants to ensure development of appropriate listening and spoken language.

During this session participants will:

• Explain the effectiveness of AVT in Japan.
• Consider the criteria for pediatric cochlear implants in Japan.
• Demonstrate the speech perception with hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Literacy in Children with Cochlear Implants 

Simone Zitta

Clinica COPEC (Brazil)

The literacy of children with cochlear implants and enrolled in speech therapy has shown interesting results. In order to develop listening and spoken language, children need to be equipped with hearing technology as soon as possible. Fitting of technology, in turn, allows for access to rich language information and, therefore, the development of spoken language and literacy skills.

During this session participants will:

• Learn how to work on listening skills.
• Observe and adopt strategies used in reading aloud.
• Detail the amount of practice needed to develop language and literacy skills.

Speech Perception through Zoom in DHH Children

Monika-Maria Oster,  Sarah Allen

Listen and Talk

Virtual teaching has become a staple in today’s educational landscape. This study describes the impact of Zoom on Ling-sound identification, consonant discrimination, and paragraph comprehension in 3-to 5-year-old children. Additionally, it shows the benefit of using a DM system during virtual speech perception tasks.

During this session participants will:

• Describe in which ways digital signal processing used in zoom limits access to spoken language.
• Describe the impact of zoom on speech perception performance in a group of preschool-aged children with hearing loss.
• Identify strategies to overcome limitations created by zoom.

Telepractice after 2020 for Those Who Are DHH

Susana  Capitão, Ana Sofia Lopes, Sofia Lynce de Faria, Tânia Lavra

SPTF (Portugal)

Telepractice has been growing in the past, but today, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is widely used. In this poster, the recommendations of telepractice with the deaf or hard of hearing population are presented, focusing on applicability, audibility, and digital resources.

During this session participants will:

• Identify the constraints of telepractice for deaf or hard of hearing children.
• Describe the audibility issues that ensure optimal telepractice conditions.
• Identify digital resources useful for telepractice.

Spreading Best Practices: The Role of Organizations

Susana  Capitão, Ana Sofia Lopes, Sofia Lynce de Faria, Tânia Lavra

SPTF (Portugal)

This presentation highlights the key results and recommendations on screening, prevention, and intervention of the WHO 1st World Report on Hearing. Moreover, we detail the Hearing Department of the Portuguese Society of Speech and Language Therapy actions that consistently respond to the WHO call for action.

During this session participants will:

• Identify the WHO main results for the 1st Report on Hearing.
• Describe the WHO recommendations of improvement in preventing and treating deafness.
• Describe the actions implemented by the Portuguese Society of Speech and Language Therapy that meet the WHO calls for action.

Professional Programs for Auditory-Verbal Practice in Korea

Son A Chang

Soree Ear Clinic Rehabilitation Center (South Korea)

In Korea, AVT was introduced early in the 2000s and has been highly acknowledged by professionals and parents of children with hearing loss. However, AVT lost its identity and impact on therapy/education without a systematic education program. Since 2015, the Korean Audiologic Society has built professional education programs for AVT.

During this session participants will:

• Describe the programs in Korean AVT education programs for professionals.
• Explain the importance of systematic continuing education and mentoring program in AVT.
• Identify various educational levels that the Korean AVT programs provide.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Holly Yeo, Valeri Le Beau

Advanced Bionics (United States)

Emmy Cartwright

Northern Arizona University (United States)

Sky CI M is the world’s first sound processor designed, developed, and engineered specifically for children. Sky CI M features AutoSense Sky OS 3.0, which is designed to ensure a powerful hearing experience in the listening situations that kids encounter. Real-world results with AutoSense Sky OS 3.0 in a Sky CI M recipient will be presented.

During this session participants will:

• Identify three benefits of the Sky CI M sound processor.
• Describe the real-world experience of a recipient using AutoSense Sky OS 3.0.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Keesha Pfeiffer, Natasha McDougald

Cochlear Americas (United States)

Imagine a future where children impacted by hearing loss receive the intervention, care, and access they need to achieve a lifetime of possibilities. Join Cochlear for a discussion of how expanded indications, familial empowerment, and innovation in technology, services, and care delivery can open a world of possibilities.

During this session participants will:

• Describe the 2020 change in candidacy criteria for children receiving cochlear implants and will list the benefits of early implantation in children.
• Explain how remote care can benefit children who use cochlear implants.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Taylor Sands, Katelyn Glassman

MED-EL Corporation (United States)

This course reviews how MED-EL’s SYNCHRONY-2 implant design and sound coding mimics the natural hearing system and discusses how this design philosophy provides best benefits to patients using their cochlear implant. An update on MED-EL’s newest technology innovations will also be provided.

During this session participants will:

• Discuss three ways in which MED-EL’s design aims to replicate natural hearing.
• List benefits of listening with two ears together.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL

Dave Fabry

Starkey (United States)

This session will focus on how Starkey has redefined expectations from modern hearing aids through the use of embedded sensors and Artificial Intelligence.  The focus of our innovation is through development of hearing aids that provide outstanding speech intelligibility and sound quality, a gateway to overall health and well-being (including fall detection!), and a gateway to information via voice -activated controls.  Audience participation is strongly encouraged.

During this session participants will:

• Learn two ways that Starkey adapted during the COVID pandemic to improve communication when face masks provided communication challenges.
• Learn three ways that embedded sensors and artificial intelligence to provide motivation for hearing aid users to be more physically active and socially engaged.

.1 AAA CEUs/.1 ASHA CEUs/1.0 hours AG Bell LSLS CEUs/1.0 COL