Pediatric Speech & Language
Your child with hearing loss can learn to hear and speak and thrive in every way.
For information contact Dana Selznick, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, at
917-305-7855 or dselznick@chchearing.org.
Here for You and Your Child with Hearing Loss
Dedication to our Specialty
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Our speech-language pathologists are exclusively dedicated to working with children with all degrees
and types of hearing loss. -
Uniquely trained in supporting families seeking a listening and spoken language outcome for their
child through the use of auditory-oral techniques. -
Expertise in management and/or troubleshooting of a wide variety of hearing technologies, including, but not limited to: traditional hearing aids, bone-anchored hearing aids (e.g., BAHA), cochlear implants and FM systems.
A Proven Formula
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CHC implements its signature combination of individual and group therapy beginning in infancy.
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Our graduates typically achieve age-level oral communication skills and grade-level literacy skills.
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Our graduates typically succeed in general education placements, with appropriate related service support.
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Collaboration with our in-house interdisciplinary team of audiologists, education specialists, and a child psychologist dedicated to your child’s developmental needs. When a family receives services outside of our center, we see to it that every effort is made to work together as professionals, to our client’s great benefit.
Family-Centered Approach
Pediatric care at CHC is a family affair. Our dedicated professionals will support and nurture your child, and also you, the parent. Through a close partnership with CHC clinicians you’ll:
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feel supported as you navigate complicated educational, emotional and social issues related to childhood deafness and auditory challenges;
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learn strategies and techniques to facilitate your child’s language growth at home;
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become fluent in the use and maintenance of your child’s hearing devices; and
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benefit from peer-to-peer connection within the CHC community.
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Services
Where We Begin: Speech/Language and Functional Listening Evaluations
Our team of pediatric specialists at CHC's Shelley and Steven Einhorn Communication Center has many tools to accurately diagnose and clearly describe your child’s strengths and weaknesses related to their communication and listening abilities. For children of any age from birth on:
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Comprehensive speech and language evaluations with the signature addition of a functional listening assessment
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Our functional listening assessments describe how a child’s specific listening difficulties are impacting their ability to relate to their world
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Provides support when seeking support services from a school district or insurance
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For the youngest children, these assessments generally add critical information regarding recommendations for the most appropriate communication modality for the child and/or hearing technology to pursue
Individual Speech-Language and Listening Therapy
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At CHC, we embrace the fact that no two children or two families are the same; a “one-size fits all” approach is put to the side in favor of specialized instruction to meet your child’s/family’s unique needs and specific challenges.
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In collaboration with your child’s team ( e.g., audiologist, classroom teacher, physician, etc), our clinicians work to ensure each child maximizes their use of hearing technology in order to develop age-appropriate speech-language and listening skills.
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Individual speech therapy sessions are generally 60 minutes, once or twice per week
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We require a parent or caregiver be present and be active participants in their child’s care, to maximize success.
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Group Speech-Language and Listening Therapy
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While communication and social skills develop naturally in children with typical hearing, children kids with hearing loss and listening challenges need extra help in these important developmental areas.
Children in CHC’s speech and language groups learn and apply strategies for successful social interactions that will serve them not only in the classroom and on the playground, but throughout their lives. Sample goals that might be addressed in a group setting:
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To foster a safe environment where students can build trust with each other and discuss their experiences with hearing loss or auditory processing disorder;
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To facilitate topic initiation and maintenance skills about ongoing experiences and/or storylines;
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To provide positive social experiences to increase self-esteem and encourage interactions with peers.
Parent-Child Groups
CHC offers groups for children ages 0-3 and their caregivers together. They are designed to:
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Foster child-to-child interaction while also
emphasizing auditory skill development and
oral communication skills.
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When appropriate, thematic units typically encountered
within mainstream nursery school programs are
used as the basis for activity planning. Sample
goals that might be addressed in this setting include:
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Introducing young children to group-based
learning activities. -
Developing age-expected social communication
skills in preparation for pre-K programs. -
Reinforcing and providing carry-over from
therapy done within individual speech-language sessions. -
Connecting parents of small children with hearing loss to others facing similar challenges.
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