2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
3/06/2023 | 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM | Moving from “either/or” to “and” in EI: Families share | DECC 233
Moving from “either/or” to “and” in EI: Families share
Hearing parents with DHH children are often provided with an either/or choice when it comes to communication (Humphries et al., 2012). Unfortunately, this early binary choice can impact not only current language ability but future cognition and overall health and wellbeing (Humphries et al., 2019). What if opportunities were offered in addition, and we use the word AND instead? In my recent dissertation, parents shared that their initial understanding about their child being DHH is that it is limiting. They want what all parents want: their child(ren) to be able to accomplish anything they want in their life. To get a better understanding, I interviewed five families to hear about their experience and their desires for their children. They explain why they want their children to be able to use both spoken English AND American Sign Language and how early intervention has been a barrier or support in achieving their goals.
• Participants will be able to identify the reasons why families want a bilingual bimodal approach.
• Participants will examine their EHDI program and identify possible barriers to families.
• Participants will compile a list of possible resources and programs to support families in their area.
Humphries, T., Kushalnagar, P., Mathur, G., Napoli, D. J., Padden, C., Rathmann, C., & Smith, S. R. (2012). Language acquisition for deaf children: Reducing the harms of zero tolerance to the use of alternative approaches. Harm Reduction Journal, 9, 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7517-9-16
Humphries, T., Kushalnagar, P., Mathur, G., Napoli, D.J., Rathmann, C., & Smith, S. (2019). Support for parents of deaf children: Common questions and informed, evidence-based answers. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 118, 134-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.12.036
- Participants will be able to identify the reasons why families want a bilingual bimodal approach.
- Participants will examine their EHDI program and identify possible barriers to families.
- Participants will compile a list of possible resources and programs to support families in their area.
Presentation:
3420032_15589Bettie T.Petersen.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Bettie Petersen
(Primary Presenter), New Mexico School for the Deaf, bettie.petersen@nmsd.k12.nm.us;
Bettie got her M.Ed in Deaf Education Early Intervention from Utah State University in 2006. She has been working for the New Mexico School for the Deaf for the past 15 years in Early Intervention. She recently completed her PhD in Educational Linguistics at the University of New Mexico. Her passion is supporting parents and their children and helping them realize their potential. She hopes to use her new-found knowledge to do research that gives voice to more families and improves our EHDI programming. She just finished a Post Doc at the University of Connecticut - working on the Family ASL Project.
She is also a wife and mother of two. She believes strongly in the power of family.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from New Mexico School for the Deaf.
• Receives Consulting fee for Consulting from University of Connecticut.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with New Mexico School for the Deaf
University of Connecticut.
Nature: Employed by NMSD
Consultation/support on UConn's Family ASL Project.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.