EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021

(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)

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3/10/2015  |   1:45 PM - 2:15 PM   |  Kids are Kids First   |  Breathitt   |  7

Kids are Kids First

Ninety-five percent of all DHH babies are born into hearing families. While early identification is ideal, it also occurs at a time when parents are at the height of all that comes with a newborn. In these early years parents are often on a crazy roller coaster ride as they maneuver through a labyrinth of appointments, early intervention supports and services, decisions, working with insurance while acknowledging their own emotions. Oftentimes parents tend to forget that their kids are kids first! As our children grow parents again tend get caught up in the IEP, FM systems, interpreters and good access in the classroom and extra curricular activities. Forgetting to listen to our children. What are they trying to tell us? How do they express their desires? This session will focus on ways in which parents can create more balance between therapy appointments and most importantly, allowing our children to be kids first. We will explore the importance of self determination skills and provide self-advocacy tools for parents and providers wherein allowing deaf and hard of hearing children the confidence and know-how to voice their wants and needs. The session will end with a video message from a variety of children across the country providing advice to parents.

  • Provide early self advocacy tools for parents to create balance in the lives of parents and their children.
  • Explore some of the challenges families face playing "catch-up" to hearing peers and how having self advocacy skills would benefit our children from being over "therapized".

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


Presenters/Authors

Helen Cotton Leiser (Primary Presenter,POC), Hands & Voices, helen@handsandvoicesor.org;
Helen is the parent of two deaf children. Through her years advocating for her girls and using technology, she has become quite versed on the realities of being a hearing parent raising two deaf children. In her role with Hands & Voices in Oregon and with HQ, she has had the privilege of speaking with, and learning from hundreds of families and professionals across the country. Providing the resources for our deaf and hard of children to achieve their personal successes is paramount to Helen.


ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial -

Nonfinancial -

Christine Griffin (Co-Presenter), Washington State Hands & Voices, christine.griffin@wahandsandvoices.org;
Christine is the mother of two deaf and hard of hearing young adults. She's worked supporting parents for the past 17 years and is the program coordinator of Washington State Hands & Voices Guide By Your Side Program. Over the years, she has worked closely with Washington State's EHDDI program as a parent leader. Christine earned a Masters of Education in Adult Learning with focus on parents as adult learners.


ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial -

Nonfinancial -