2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference
March 13 - 15, 2022
3/05/2019 | 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM | Incorporating Deaf Culture and Listening/Spoken Language Outcomes...The Roche Family Adventure | International B/C
Incorporating Deaf Culture and Listening/Spoken Language Outcomes...The Roche Family Adventure
Stephen and Barb Roche have adopted one child from Russia and one child from China. Stephen comes from a culturally deaf family, and Barb had no experience with hearing loss or Deaf Culture prior to meeting Stephen. When they adopted their daughter from China, they knew she had a hearing loss. When they first met her, they signed with her right away, because at the age of 2 ½, Lulu had no significant language exposure during these first 2 1/2 years. As time went along, Stephen and Barb made the decision to have Lulu bilaterally implanted, and they focused on listening/spoken language outcomes for Lulu. The diagnosis of Usher’s Syndrome increased the pressure on the family to help Lulu develop spoken language and listening outcomes. This session is meant to give participants a clear understanding of some of the pressures families face, especially when Deaf culture and sign language are part of the equation. For this endeavor, Stephen and Barb enlisted the help of many family members (including Lulu’s super older sibling, Michael!), as well as the aid of many professionals in the EI system, to ensure optimum outcomes for Lulu. This presentation will tell their story, and offer encouragement/suggestions for EI professionals today.
- Participants will learn of the Roche family's attempt to successfully integrate Deaf Culture with listening/spoken language outcomes.
- Participants will be asked to consider the pressures of a family that has adopted two children, one of these children having Usher's Syndrome.
- Participants will be able to ask questions of the Roche family, so that the participants might be better serve the needs of their own families/the families they work with.
Presentation:
18878_10502DanRoche.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
18878_10502DanRoche.doc
Presenters/Authors
Dan Roche
(), Early Intervention Provider, droche4559@gmail.com;
Dan has worked in the Early Intervention system of Illinois for more than 20 years as a Developmental Therapist--Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DT--D/HH). He works on the south side of Chicago, as well as in the southern suburbs of Chicago. Dan retired from teaching high school special education in May of 2016, and since then has been focusing his time and energy as a DT-D/HH. He has been an active member of Children of Deaf Adults (CODA) since 1991.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Stephen, Barb, and Michael Roche
(), Illinois Hands and Voices, sroches@earthlink.net;
Stephen and Barb have been married since 1997, for more than 21 years. They're the proud parents of Michael and Lulu. Barb was an early elementary school teacher for many years, and left teaching in order to focus on raising her two adopted children. Stephen is a Coda (child of deaf adults), and has worked in sales for most of his professional life. Michael is Lulu’s super older brother, who as mentioned above is adopted from Russia. Michael is very close with his sister, and communicates extremely effectively with Lulu. Both Stephen and Barb have benefited from the medical expertise and educational backgrounds of the various professionals they have met in early intervention, and are grateful for that help. Additionally, they wish to encourage and support other families that seek objective and wise counsel during these early intervention years.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -