Yvonne came today! She is Mikaela's TOD (Teacher of the Deaf) and I think she is really great. I heard wonderful things about her from the staff at CHOP as well. She talked to me about showing Mikaela how to respond to sounds in the environment. Imagine you are a baby, playing with Mom or Dad. All of a sudden the dog starts barking and running to get a toy, Mom and Dad get up and walk away. Next thing you know there is a person standing in the kitchen. What just happened? You and I know....However a deaf child -even with hearing aids- most likely never heard the doorbell ring. So it is our job to take her to the door and let her hear the knock or doorbell. Even if we have to stage it. Likewise with the phone, vacuum, coffee maker, toilet flushing, etc. These are things that a hearing child will put together on her own. A deaf child has to be shown how the circle completes. We will do this as well with outside sounds, people sounds, animals, and toys.
Next we learned to sign "I Love You" (the Barney song). We love to sing around here no matter how awful we sound! :-)
Lastly, Yvonne let me borrow the John Tracy Clinic manual for Distance Education for Parents of Young Children Who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. I jumped on the website and ordered my own copy. It seems like a wonderful resource. Upon completion of each section, I will respond to an assessment/survey and they send out the next one. Most of you know I love to learn and I am anxious to get started!
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