DIP = Deaf Infant Program
We went on a tour of the Center for Hearing and Communications in Lower Manhattan. In addition to being a facility that provides Early Intervention (EI) services, they conduct a special program called DIP. The DIP program provides speech therapy services for infants until they are 3 years of age. Because of Madison's profound hearing loss she qualifies for DIP and EI. DIP gives Madison 2 speech therapy appointments per week for 60 minutes.
What could an infant with no hearing actually get out of a speech therapy session? (This was one of our questions). Initially, the sessions are geared more for the parents than the infant - considering Madison slept through her initial session. The therapist tries to educate the parents, as well as instruct them on how to interact with their child. The main goal is for you TO INTERACT with your child, just as if there was no hearing loss. They encourage you to mimic your child's noises - if they speak some jargon, try to imitate that back. Plus, they want you to constantly talk to your child - almost like the narrator of a story.
The therapists have seen the success stories and know the first few years are pivotal in her growth. It's going to be a lot of hard work, but with the right therapy and supporting cast we're hopeful Madison will be chatting up a storm shortly after receiving CI.
No comments:
Post a Comment