[HearingExchange] HearingExchange News - Meet Paula, Mainstreaming Tips, Moog Family Workshop and More, Pls Forward Wednesday, May 5, 2004 ========================================================== Dear HearingExchange Members, ---------------------------------------------------------- It's been a while since I've published HearingExchange News and here's why... I gave birth to my second son (and my third child) on January 7th. My recovery took longer than expected, but we are both doing very well now. My son is both a joy and joyful. He beams a wonderful smile and bats his blue eyes at anyone who even glances his way. In the 4 months since he was born he has had a newborn hearing screening, two sets of OAE and ABR tests and even behavioral auditory testing. Thus far, he has passed them all, indicating that his hearing is presently normal. We're not taking any chances though so his hearing will be monitored regularly. If you suspect a hearing loss in yourself or your child, don't wait, get tested right away. Time is truly of the essence when it comes to your hearing. This issue of HearingExchange News is filled with important and helpful information. Be sure to read the subscriber notice below in order to continue receiving this newsletter. Please send me your comments, questions and feedback at info@hearingexchange.com. I read each and every letter I receive. Happy Spring, Paula Rosenthal, Publisher & Speaker * * IMPORTANT SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION - PLEASE READ * * ---------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for subscribing to HearingExchange News! We currently have 3,756 subscribers. Are you sure you're one of them? Many people forget to check the "HearingExchange News" box when they get to our subscription sign up page. Thus, this issue is being sent to all of our subscribers plus nearly 3,000 people thought they may have signed up to receive it. We want you to stay informed of the latest news, resources, articles and more about hearing loss and related issues. To make sure you receive our next issue of HearingExchange News, you MUST click on the link at the very end of this email. It is located under the "Powered by List Builder" line. It will bring you to a page with two options. The first is a link to unsubscribe. The second is a "Change Preferences" link. Please click on it and be sure that the HearingExchange News box is selected as well as any of the other mailing lists you would like to join. Then scroll down to the bottom of that page and click on "Submit." Feel free to forward this newsletter to people you know with hearing loss, their family and professionals in the field. If the links don't work please copy and paste them into your browser. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up for it and view our other lists here...: http://lb.bcentral.com/ex/manage/subscriberprefs?customerid=6181 Meet Paula at the AG Bell Convention in California this June ---------------------------------------------------------- I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be speaking at the Alexander Graham Bell Convention in Anaheim. My talk, "Considerations for Relocating and Choosing a School for Your Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child" is scheduled for Sunday, June 27th. The convention is produced every two years and offers many programs and workshops for parents, professionals and deaf and hard of hearing adults. This year it is being held just two blocks from Disneyland so be sure to bring the kids! I'm planning a HearingExchange get-together for those members who plan to attend. Be sure to send me an email if you're interested in meeting up with us. Learn more and register for the AG Bell convention here...: http://www.agbell.org/convention/Cvent%20-%20convention%20home.htm Moog Workshop: "Helping Your Child Learn to Talk" for Parents of Children Ages 2 to 6 ---------------------------------------------------------- WHO: Betsy Moog Brooks, Jean Moog and Faculty at the Moog Center for Deaf Education WHAT: "Helping Your Child Learn to Talk" for Parents of Children ages 2 to 6. This workshop will cover many topics of interest to parents, click the link below for further information. WHEN: Wednesday, July 14th to Sunday, July 18th WHERE: The Moog Center in St. Louis, Missouri WHY: This program is highly regarded by parents and sells out quickly. Each year a majority of the families who attend opt to continue receiving services for their child by either relocating to Moog or to one of the Moog Curriculum Schools or by engaging in distance education. Parents are encouraged to bring their deaf or hard of hearing child to the workshop. The children will be divided into small groups based on their age and language abilities. There will be a 1:1 ratio for the younger children and a 2:1 ratio for the 5 and 6 year olds. The children will be in a small group setting with a lead teacher experienced in working with hearing impaired children and will receive individual therapy daily by staff members of the Moog Center. Evaluations are available to children over 3 for an additional fee. Space is limited so be sure to sign up early! For more details and information on registration, click this link...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/workshop-050404.shtml PAULA'S PEARLS FEATURE ARTICLE: Mainstreaming Tips for Parents of Children with Special Needs ---------------------------------------------------------- Transitioning from a special education program to a public or private mainstream school is a critical time for families. Parents and children alike are both nervous and excited about their new placement. A new program also means new teachers, service professionals and new friends. To ensure a smooth and successful transition for your child, consider the following suggestions and tips for before and during your Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting. Read the 12 tips and 8 web sites this article offers here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/paulas_pearls_041904.html Looking for Content or Handouts for Your Web Site, Newsletter, Organization or Program? ---------------------------------------------------------- My syndicated column, "Paula's Pearls" offers articles on hearing loss for reproduction at no cost to you. Titles include: "5 Things to Teach Your Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child" "Online Resources for People with Cochlear Implants" "My Child Has a Hearing Loss...What Next?" "Access to Disney World: Tips for Hard of Hearing Adults and Children" ...and many more. Articles may be reproduced as long as they are unedited and include my author bio and copyright information. Contact me if you have any questions. Links to all Paula's Pearls articles are available here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/paulas_pearls/ FEATURED SITE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Government ---------------------------------------------------------- Are you a federal employee with a hearing loss? Learn more about the non-profit organization Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Government (DHHIG). DHHIG supports all Federal employees with any degree of hearing loss, whether they are profoundly deaf, hard of hearing in one ear or both, late deafened, or deaf-blind individuals. Members use a variety of communication modes. Click here for the DHHIG site...: http://www.dhhig.org/aboutOrg.html FEATURED BOOK: The Complete IEP Guide: How to Advocate for Your Special Ed Child ---------------------------------------------------------- "The Complete IEP Guide" walks you step-by- step through the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. The book provides all the instructions, suggestions, strategies, resources and forms you need to proceed from the beginning, when you first suspect a problem, to the end, when your child completes school. This book is highly recommended for parents of children who are or will be receiving special education services. For more information and to order this book, click here...: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0873376072/hearingexchange Expanded News at HearingExchange ---------------------------------------------------------- In addition to press releases from hearing related companies and organizations, we now offer links to newspaper and journal articles. Pay a visit to the "Current News" area of the site to read the many articles recently in the press. NEWS: New Retro-X Hearing Aid for High Frequency Hearing Loss ---------------------------------------------------------- Doctors at the Ohio State University Medical Center have begun to implant the Retro-X. Unlike traditional hearing aids, the Retro-X has a thin titanium tube inserted behind the ear, then a digital hearing aid snaps into the tube. Read the full article here...: http://www.wytv.com/news/features/1/740462.html NEWS: Siemens Presents New Pediatric BTE Hearing Aid and Comprehensive Support Program at American Academy of Audiology Convention ---------------------------------------------------------- Siemens developed the kid g-ear program to provide children with hearing loss, their family, teachers and peers with support through the entire treatment process: from the time hearing loss is suspected in the child, through diagnosis and treatment. The support and resource materials offered through the Siemens program are designed to make pediatric fittings a success and ensure a future of positive development for the child. Details available here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/henews-043004c.shtml NEWS: When Does Your Child Need Ear Tubes? ---------------------------------------------------------- Three major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics offer new guidelines regarding when tubes are necessary for children. Read the article from the WPXI Pittsburgh here...: http://www.wpxi.com/health/3264146/detail.html NEWS: Purdue Univ. Researchers Work on Hearing Aid and Cochlear Implant Technology ---------------------------------------------------------- U.S. researchers say adding a hearing aid to a cochlear implant improves speech discrimination. Find out more here...: http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=a1d63e295ecbcf08 Many More News Articles Available at HearingExchange ---------------------------------------------------------- Visit the Current News and News Archives area for the latest information and news. Click here to view them all...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/news/ NEW! Team Tracking Form for Audiologists and Therapists Has Been Added to the HearingExchange Shop - The Place to Shop for Families, Professionals and Adults with Hearing Loss ---------------------------------------------------------- Introducing the Team Tracking Form for Audiologists and Therapists. The Moog Center for Deaf Education has created 50 page "Team Tracking" pads for use with children with cochlear implants. Read more below and pass this information on to your cochlear implant center. The Team Tracking Form was created to help audiologists and therapists work together to provide better services to children with cochlear implants, and their families. The form is double sided, with one side to be completed by the child's Audiologist and the other to be completed by the child's Therapist. The back-and-forth communication between Audiologists and Therapists helps to enhance the services provided. The sharing of information helps Audiologists know how to focus each programming session, improving the quality of amplification. Therapists are provided with a better understanding of the child's access to sound, promoting better attention to the development of speech, language and auditory skills. To order Team Tracking pads, click here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/store/18.html# NEW! Teacher Assessment of Spoken Language (TASL) Manual and Forms for IEPs ---------------------------------------------------------- Internationally renowned deaf educator Jean Sachar Moog and a colleague has created the Teacher Assessment of Spoken Language (TASL). This is a teacher rating form designed to rate the sentence structure of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. It is used extensively with the children at the Moog Center and the Moog Curriculum Schools around the United States. The TASL evaluates the development of spoken language from first words through the use of complex sentences. The TASL is easy to use and very helpful to teachers for developing IEPs as it specifically rates the child's present level and lists the next higher levels to be learned. This makes the TASL useful as a guide for selecting objectives and as a record of progress throughout the year. A complete TASL consists of a manual and a package of 10 Rating Forms and 10 Syntactic Reference Forms. For online ordering of the TASL manual and/or the refill forms, use this link...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/store/19.html# Dry and Store Global Preserves Life of Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implants and Batteries ---------------------------------------------------------- The Dry & Store Global is a terrific, portable device that both sanitizes and dehumidifies hearing aids and cochlear implant processors to cut down on repairs and maintain their quality. I personally use the Dry & Store daily for both mine and my daughter's hearing aids and cochlear implant processors. This device is a lifesaver if you or your child are active and/or live in a humid climate. This device is especially useful during the warm spring and summer months ahead. Learn more about the Dry and Store Global here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/store/17.html HOT SELLER! "My Baby and Me - A Book About Teaching Your Child to Talk" ---------------------------------------------------------- Teaching your child (or a group of children) to talk? Betsy Moog Brook's book, "My Baby and Me" is an incredible resource for parents and teachers of babies and children of who are learning to talk. Clear, organized and full of great information, this book has received rave reviews from parents and professionals alike. I purchased this book as a gift for my daughter's speech language pathologist. She uses it when planning therapy sessions for her young clients with hearing aids and cochlear implants. View the Table of Contents and More Info About "My Baby and Me" here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/store/1.html "Unheard Voices" - An Eye-Opening Film About Living with Hearing Loss ---------------------------------------------------------- Hearing impaired Canadian actress and frequent SHHH presenter, Gael Hannan, plays several types of people with hearing loss and artfully explains how each person's life is impacted in a different manner. This is an eye-opening, short film and is perfect for introducing others to the trials of coping with hearing loss. I have given it a two thumbs up! Order your copy of this terrific video here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/store/15.html "Teaching Activities for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing" - A Moog Publication ---------------------------------------------------------- "Teaching Activities for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing - A Practical Guide for Teachers" by the Moog Center for Deaf Education. This must-have book for oral educators and speech therapists explains how the staff at the Moog Center successfully teaches deaf and hard of hearing children oral language as well as academics. Due to its tremendous popularity, this new book is already in its second printing. View the Table of Contents and learn more about the "Teaching Activities" book here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/store/14.html Many Other Products and Books in the Reorganized HearingExchange Shop ---------------------------------------------------------- For your convenience, we have reorganized the products in the HearingExchange Shop. There are three separate areas for Parents and Family Members, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumers and Teachers, Therapists and Hearing Healthcare Professionals. Orders are processed and shipped promptly. We use a secure system handled by PayPal and we accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express. We also accept checks by mail. Please make sure they are made payable to Taylor Rose, Inc. All proceeds from the HearingExchange Shop are used to keep the HearingExchange web site and its resources free of charge to all members. View the Newly Organized HearingExchange Shop Here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/store/ Interested in Paula's Cochlear Implant Experiences? ---------------------------------------------------------- I've kept an online journal of my cochlear implant journey. Read how this wonderful device has greatly enhanced my quality of life. View Paula's Journal here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/journals/display.cgi?id=15&sort=date&cat=2 Online Journals About Hearing Loss Benefit the Journalist Plus Thousands of Others ---------------------------------------------------------- Have you ever said, "I wish I knew that before!"? HearingExchange receives thousands of visitors each month. Your journal can really make a difference in people's lives. Write about your experiences growing up with hearing loss, your new hearing aid, your career, etc. We offer online journaling software and storage at no cost to you. You also retain the copyright to your work. So, what's stopping you? To paraphrase the Nike ads, "Just write it!" Click here to start your journal today...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/journals/stories.cgi?sort=date&cat=stories Participate in the HearingExchange Message Boards, A True Community ---------------------------------------------------------- We now have over 4,570 registered members on the HearingExchange Message Boards. Our members offer various perspectives, helpful assistance and tremendous support. Visit our more than 40 forums to read the organized threads, post your questions and make new connections. Click here to login or register for our boards...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi Vote in the School Program Poll ---------------------------------------------------------- What type of program have you or your child attended? Select your answers in our latest poll here...: http://hearingexchange.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/polls/020/poll_center.htm Past Polls Archived ---------------------------------------------------------- Now you can see the results of our past polls online. View our polls archives here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/past_poll_results.html Live, Weekly Chats at HearingExchange - Join Us! ---------------------------------------------------------- Thanks to our terrific volunteer hosts, HearingExchange has weekly chats open to all of our members. If you haven't joined one yet, don't delay. Our chats are lively, supportive and informative. Folks who initially met online at HearingExchange have met up at national conventions and other venues. New members are always welcome. Here's the weekly line-up: Note: All times are Eastern Standard Time * Tuesday 9pm Chat for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults - hosted by Torch * Wednesday 9pm Cochlear Implant Chat - hosted by Foxxy/Sharon, Les and Alice * Thursday 9pm Chat with HearingExchange founder, Paula on Hearing Loss, Parenting and More in Paula's Place While our chat rooms are most active in the evenings at 9pm Eastern time, they are available to members 24/7 so come anytime! Click here to enter the chat rooms...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/chat.html Hear Our Parents - A Section Where Parents Help Parents ---------------------------------------------------------- Are you a parent who could use some inspiration when it comes to raising your deaf or hearing impaired child? Have something you'd like to brag about? "Hear Our Parents" is a new section where parents write in and tell our community members about their children. Read and post to Hear Our Parents here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/hear_our_parents.htm New Section: Parent Resources ---------------------------------------------------------- Parenting children with hearing loss requires a lot of research and knowledge to help them in educational and social arenas. Check out the new Parent Resources area for helpful information including the recently added "Benchmarks for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children with Early Amplification." Access Parent Resources here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/parents-resources/index.html "Hear Our Kids" - A Place for Children to Talk ---------------------------------------------------------- My daughter was the inspiration for the Hear Our Kids area. She said she wants to be a writer on the computer like I am when she grows up. The result? A place for children with hearing loss to discuss their feelings and frustrations. See what children of all ages have written about themselves, their hearing loss, school and more. Read it with your kids and have them submit their own thoughts and ideas. My child checks this section regularly. Does yours? Read and post to "Hear Our Kids" here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/hear_our_kids.htm Volunteers Needed for HearingExchange Event Calendar ---------------------------------------------------------- Are you a member of a hearing loss related organziation? Do you spend time researching online? Please help HearingExchange by submitting conventions, seminars and conferences on hearing loss related issues to our Event Calendar. The submission form is at the bottom of the Calendar page. Please remember to include the state in the title so it appears on main page of the calendar. Remember, your participation at HearingExchange can help thousands of others. View and Submit to the Calendar here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/events/calendar.cgi HearingExchange Resource Directory - A Great Place to Start Research ---------------------------------------------------------- I've created an organized directory of over 370 hand-picked links to other terrific resources available to you online. Make our Resource Directory your first stop when researching anything related to deafness. If you have or know of a worthwhile site, please submit it using the "Add a Site" link at the top of the directory. Please add a reciprocal link to HearingExchange at your site. We appreciate it. Visit the Resource Directory here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/resources/ HearingExchange Employment and Resume Boards ---------------------------------------------------------- Looking for a job? Need to fill a position? Check out our job boards. (Leave the keyword area blank when conducting a search for best viewing.) Click here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/jobs/ New HearingExchange Postcard Brochures Now Available in Bulk ---------------------------------------------------------- We offer color postcard brochures describing the many things HearingExchange offers to people with hearing loss, families and professionals. These cards can be mailed out individually or your organization can purchase them in bulk. These are great to distribute at your next convention, support group meeting, school, etc. Our brochures are already in doctor's offices, cochlear implant centers, audiology offices and other places around the country. Are they in yours? Help others to enjoy the no cost benefits of HearingExchange by distributing our brochures in your area. To order any quantity of HearingExchange postcard brochures, click here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/postcards/order.html Until Next Time... ---------------------------------------------------------- I hope you've enjoyed this issue of HearingExchange News. As always, your feedback is important so please email me with your comments, suggestions, news, etc. Warmest regards, Paula Rosenthal, Publisher HearingExchange "The Leading Online Community for People with Hearing Loss, Families and Professionals" To modify your subscriptions, click on the "unsubscribe" link below, make your changes and click on "submit." All email addresses are kept strictly confidential. (c)Copyright 2004 HearingExchange, a division of Taylor Rose, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reprint and distribute this newsletter as long as it is reprinted in its entirety, is unedited and includes this copyright. To view past issues of HearingExchange News click here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com/newsletter_archives.htm If This Newsletter Was Forwarded To You... ---------------------------------------------------------- Sign up to receive this newsletter and/or chat reminders and other special mailings at no cost. Click here to see all the lists we offer...: http://lb.bcentral.com/ex/manage/subscriberprefs?customerid=6181 The HearingExchange Site is Filled with Articles, Information and Resources ---------------------------------------------------------- HearingExchange has thousands of links, articles and resources for you! We re-vamped our main page to make it easier for you to see it all. Take some time and view it all here...: http://www.hearingexchange.com ========================================================== HearingExchange a division of Taylor Rose, Inc. 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