Hearing Loss – Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is Auditory-Verbal therapy?
  2. What distinguishes the certified auditory verbal therapist from other therapists?
  3. How can I find out more about Auditory Verbal Therapy?

 

1. What is Auditory-Verbal therapy?

Auditory-Verbal therapy is a specialized type of therapy designed to teach a child to use the hearing provided by a hearing aid or a cochlear implant for understanding speech and learning to talk. The child is taught to develop hearing as an active sense so that listening becomes automatic and the child seeks out sounds in life. Hearing and active listening become an integral part of communication, recreation, socialization, education and work.

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2. What distinguishes the certified auditory verbal therapist from other therapists?

Many therapists provide services to improve communication skills of children with hearing loss. Some therapists teach American Sign Language, while others use total communication, cued speech, or techniques used in their community. Certified Auditory-Verbal therapists are equipped for providing therapy sessions, parent training, and educational services needed to maximize the child’s use of hearing as a primary sense for speaking and learning at school.

  • The Certified Auditory Verbal Therapist (Cert. AVT):
    • Focuses on the use of sound (audition) as the primary channel for learning/gaining meaning from the environment
    • Bases the auditory-verbal approach on well-defined principles of treatment
  • The Cert. AVT is a cross-disciplinarian clinician:
    • Skills are drawn from three primary professions
      • The Cert. AVT does not represent one of these professions singly, but rather has a body of knowledge beyond any single one of these primary professions
      • S/he has cross-disciplinary skills and is trained to monitor a larger field of development and functioning than do most individuals from any one of these three professions.

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3. How can I find out more about Auditory Verbal Therapy?

Please refer to the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language website for more information.

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