Is my deaf child progressing?
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Progress is at the heart of effective early intervention.
The only way to determine whether a child is progressing is to measure development objectively: with data. Auditory-Verbal Therapy recommends administering internationally standardised assessments annually, to quantify developmental progress and track age-equivalent performance in children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
In this thirteenth episode, Shefali Shah is joined by Rashi Sanghi in an honest, penetrating conversation on how to plan for progress. Through coaching and guidance, Rashi has evolved into a confident, discerning, and responsive parent who now leads her child’s intervention journey with insight and purpose. Her transformation, from being dismissive to deeply appreciative of her child’s perspective, is a testament to what becomes possible when parents drive AVT.
Children with congenital hearing loss often begin life at a developmental disadvantage, as hearing begins in utero by 20 weeks. That means we need more than 12 months of developmental progress in 12 months of time to close this gap.
Auditory-Verbal Therapy facilitates this through an active, intentional, and responsive process. It places parents at the centre of services, providing a structured framework and treatment plan that evolves continuously to meet the child’s changing developmental needs.
Auditory-Verbal Therapy centres the parent. And when parents take the wheel, children thrive.
This is The Sound Steps Podcast.
🎧 Top Tips from Episode 13
Absorb Consolidate Demonstrate
- Measure progress. Use internationally standardised assessments to track your child’s development objectively.
- Parents drive AV Therapy. With coaching and support, parents plan, implement, and adapt intervention goals.
- Close the developmental gap. Deliver more than 12 months’ progress in 12 month’s time.
- Use data to plan: Use the data from assessments to plan systematically and on an on-going basis.
- Intervention must be dynamic. Auditory-Verbal Therapy AVT is a responsive, evolving process that adapts as your child’s needs and skills grow.
Time Stamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:1:10 Introduction to this episode
00:02:10 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents
00:02:20 Choosing Auditory-Verbal Therapy for your deaf or hard of hearing child
00:02:49 AVT facilitates age-appropriate development
00:03:16 Abundant choices open up through AVT
00:03:48 Early identification and the fitting of early and optimal amplification.
00:03:55 A life free of limitations
00:04:04 Show notes, Top tips and Time Stamps
00:04:15 Links and contact details
00:04:22 Resources
00:04:43 Measuring progress with data
00:05:54 Standardised assessments
00:07:40 Congenital hearing loss has an inherent developmental delay
00:09:12 Closing the developmental gap
00:09:46 Systematic and on-going planning
00:10:38 The Auditory-Verbal Treatment Plan
00:11:25 Demonstration of mastery
00:12:21 Introducing our guests on this episode
00:13:05 Transitioning caregivers to driving therapy
00:15:03 Confident parenting
00:15:30 Appreciating your child’s perspective
00:16:22 Inviting parent participation in planning
00:20:22 Delivering at least 12 months’ progress in 12 months’ time
00:20:53 Pace of progress
00:21:54 Reflection
00:22:40 Our next episode: Keeping up with my child
Resources:
- 💬 Submit your question to the show: https://www.soundsteps.uk/podcast-ask-question/
- 👩⚕️ Face-to-face AVT with Shefali Shah (London): https://soundsteps.uk
- 🌐 Online AVT sessions available via AVT Direct: https://avtdirect.com
- 🎓 Train online as an LSL professional in AVT: https://learnavt.com
- 📧 Contact Shefali directly: shefalishah@soundsteps.uk
Resources — Understanding and Measuring Progress
- Estabrooks, W., Morrison, H. M., & MacIver-Lux, K. (2020). Auditory-Verbal Therapy: For Young Children with Hearing Loss and Their Families, and the Practitioners Who Guide Them. Plural Publishing.
- Madell, J., & Hewitt, L. (2013). Why Can’t My Child Hear? Plural Publishing.
- Moeller, M. P. (2000). Early intervention and language development in children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Pediatrics, 106(3), e43.
- The LOCHI Study: The Longitudinal Outcomes of Children with Hearing Impairment https://www.outcomes.nal.gov.au/key-findings (2018) www.nal.gov.au www.outcomes.nal.gov.au