Auditory-Verbal Therapy is an early intervention program for children with hearing loss from birth through six years of age.

In the Soundbridge Auditory-Verbal program, a certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist (AVT) presents individually tailored instruction to the hearing impaired child and his/her parents on a regularly scheduled basis.  The child is accompanied to all sessions by a parent.  The parent participates in the sessions, and has the responsibility to implement auditory-verbal interacting with their child at home, throughout all activities.  The Auditory-Verbal focus is on learning to listen, understand, and use spoken language.  Since the aim is to integrate listening into the child’s total personality, the AVT works together with the child’s audiologist to be sure that the child’s hearing aids or cochlear implant(s) are always providing optimal access to sound.

The key to success in this program is family commitment.

Who is a prime candidate for this program?

• A child whose hearing loss was identified early.
• A child who began using amplification at an early age.
• A child who is not more than six years of age.
• A child whose parents are able to accompany him/her to therapy sessions.
•  A child whose parents are strongly motivated and able to assume the role of primary teacher(s) in charge of their child’s development of spoken language through listening, all waking hours.    

Preschool-aged children in Auditory-Verbal Therapy may attend a regular preschool program for several half days per week, and also attend individual Auditory/Verbal sessions with a parent for one or two sessions per week.  When the child is enrolled in a preschool or kindergarten, the AVT makes regular visits to the school to be sure that the child’s equipment is functioning properly, and that the teachers are knowledgeable about the child’s equipment and unique learning needs as a child with a hearing loss.

Does the candidate need to have a lot of hearing?

No.  Children with severe and profound losses have been very successful with Auditory/Verbal programming, as well as children with more hearing.  Auditory Verbal Therapy is a recommended habilitation approach for very young children with cochlear implants.

CONTACT:
Dr. Elizabeth B. Cole, Ed.D.
Director, CREC Soundbridge
123 Progress Drive
Wethersfield, CT 06109
(860) 529-4260 (voice and TTD)
(860) 257-8500 (FAX)