15th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 13-15, 2016 • San Diego, CA

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3/15/2016  |   3:45 PM - 4:15 PM   |  Topical Session 8   |  Pacific Salon 1   |  7 - Family Perspectives and Support

Building Social and Emotional Competence in Infants and Toddlers Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Facilitated by a psychologist and an early childhood educator, this presentation is aimed at families of young children as well as the professionals who support those families. This presentation will foster deeper understanding of the importance of social and emotional competence in infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing and suggestions for how to foster these. This presentation will draw from the literature on early child development (e.g. Center for the Developing Child, 2015), policy work in support of young children (Zero to Three, Infant-Toddler Policy Issues, 2015), developmental systems models in early intervention (Guralnick, 2011; 2013), social competence in children with special health care needs (Zand et al., 2014), as well as our own experiences in working with families in order to promote young childrens’ social and emotional development. We believe this presentation fills a gap in the services provided by EHDI programs, by shifting the focus away from “just the ear” to highlighting the needs of the whole child. By condensing what is currently believed to be best practice in bolstering the development of social and emotional competence in infants and toddlers and applying what is also known about working with deaf and hard of hearing young children, the information presented during this session can be of immediate positive impact for families. This are not limited to improved competence in the child, but may also extend to improved family quality of life. Further, the ideas and suggestions presented have the potential, if implemented, to improve clinical practice and enhance the knowledge base of early intervention providers.

  • Identify a minimum of three factors that contribute to social and emotional competence.
  • Describe at least three ways in which infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing may be at risk for reduced development of social and emotional skills.
  • Explain a minimum of three strategies that can be employed to help facilitate the development of social and emotional competence in deaf and hard of hearing infants and toddlers.

Presentation:
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Handouts:
Handout is not Available

CART:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference


Presenters/Authors

Amy Szarkowski (Primary Presenter), Boston Children's Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Amy.Szarkowski@childrens.harvard.edu;
Dr. Szarkowski is a Psychologist in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Boston Children's Hospital. Her work there involves conducting developmental and psychological assessments, providing support to Deaf and hard of hearing children and their families through short-term therapy, and advocating for appropriate supports and accommodations to meet childrens' needs. Dr. Szarkowski also holds an appointment as Instructor at Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry. She teaches in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families Collaboration and Leadership program at Gallaudet University, as well as in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.


Karen Hopkins (Co-Presenter), The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, karen.hopkins@mecdhh.org;
Karen Hopkins is the Director of Early Childhood Education and Family Services at The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Karen coordinates early intervention services for children birth through age five throughoutt the state of Maine, which includes The Parent Infant Toddler Program, and the Bilingual Bimodal Preschool Program at MECDHH. She serves on the Maine Hands & Voices Board, the Maine Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Board and Maine's Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, and has served on the National EHDI meeting planning committe and the National Deaf Mentor Program Committee with NCHAM.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.