Discovering the power of language and learning to listen begins the moment a child is born. Yet, every day 33 babies are born with permanent hearing loss in the United States. By age 3, a young child will need to hear approximately 30,000 words a day to develop the language skills necessary to succeed in school.

These statistics reinforce the critical importance of early identification and intervention of children with a severe-to-profound hearing loss.

A critical aspect of a clinician’s job is to provide every avenue available for children with a severe-to-profound hearing loss to develop speech and language skills similar to those of their same-age, normal-hearing peers. As a therapist, you understand the importance of counseling and educating families on the resources and technology available to support these children in the classroom, at home, and in every aspect of their lives. 

Providing information to families in stages is often the easiest for them to digest. The goal is not to overwhelm the family with an excessive amount of information, but to give them a few key pieces that will help them begin the process of learning about hearing loss.

Additionally, you may want to consider providing parents with resources and information that will empower them to take control of their child’s intervention. A key component of supporting the families you work with is guiding them through the maze of products, services, and resources that are available to create a successful intervention program.

One resource that therapists find extremely helpful is The Listening Room™ (at www.HearingJourney.com). The Listening Room is a Web resource that provides (re)habilitation activities for the development of speech, language, and listening skills. This site was developed for parents, therapists, teachers, and other professionals who support children with a hearing loss at any age.

The activities posted on the site are age-appropriate, easy to access, simple to download to your computer, and ready to print. Once printed, you can watch a short video or read the instructions on how to assemble the activity and how you might use the activity with a child during a therapy session. Many therapists also create the activity and give it to the family with instructions on how to use it in the child’s home environment.


After your initial meeting with the family, and as the family begins to feel more comfortable with the fact that their child has a severe-to-profound hearing loss, it may be an appropriate time to introduce them to additional services and resources. 

As a professional, you know that families will gain the most insight about the many aspects of supporting a child with a hearing loss from other families who have walked in their shoes. The Bionic Ear Association (BEA) encourages families to connect with others through their Mentor Program (at www.BionicEar.com/CTM). The BEA also provides peer-to-peer support and education to families of children with hearing loss.

Families want the best hearing possible for their child’s little ears. Given that technology changes so rapidly, knowing where families can learn the most recent advancements with hearing aids or cochlear implants is important. Choosing the technology to provide a child’s access to sound is a critical component to their overall hearing success. Professionals and families who are searching for information and resources on all aspects related to cochlear implants will find it on the Advanced Bionics Web site, www.BionicEar.com.

After the decision to receive a cochlear implant has been made, the team of professionals and the family will need to know where they can find the assistance they need to help the child learn to live with their new device – whether they have one or two Bionic Ears.

Advanced Bionics is focusing on a variety of new products designed to make living with a cochlear implant easier, more convenient, and more comfortable for your pediatric patients. The company recently introduced new accessories in its Bionic Ears for Kids kit.

These include: a bilateral harness, available in pink or blue, that holds and protects two Platinum Speech Processors (PSP); a Bionic Buddy Critter Clip that attaches to a child’s clothing, so if the processor falls off the ear, it won’t go too far; a Snuggie that securely keeps the active child’s processor in place; and The Adventures of Bionic Buddy DVD that explains the cochlear implant process to children in a fun, cartoon format.

A fun way to capture the imagination of a young child is through cute and cuddly mascots. Advanced Bionics has created Buddy and Melody, cuddly plush monkeys who are given to children right before they receive their cochlear implants. Melody, Buddy’s bilaterally implanted younger sister, is the newest member of the Bionic Family and is included in the Bionic Ears for Kids kit.

Through their adventures, a child will gain an understanding about hearing and hearing loss and experiencing sound with a cochlear implant. The stories can be found on the “Just for Kids” page of the “Rehab & Education” section of www.BionicEar.com.

The educational management of a child with a cochlear implant involves a team approach. Tools for Schools (www.BionicEar.com/TFS) is a free program that provides you with practical tools and materials to support children with cochlear implants. These resources will ease your workload, save you time, and offer teachers the assurance they need that a child’s cochlear implant is functioning properly at school.

Some of the resources available include product information, product troubleshooting, educational management of a child with a hearing loss, and assessment materials.


Supporting children and families through the process of learning and living with a severe-to-profound hearing loss is a complex process. The resources outlined above are available to assist you with this endeavor. 

— Carissa Moeggenberg, MA, CCC-A is manager of the rehabilitation programs at Sylar, Calif.-based Advanced Bionics. Questions and comments can be directed to editorial@therapytimes.com.